Antibiotic Stewardship

The Allegheny County Health Department encourages all healthcare professionals to utilize antibiotic stewardship practices to help prevent the overuse of antibiotics.

Antibiotics are critical medications that need to be used judiciously to maintain effectiveness. It is estimated that 20 – 50% of antibiotics prescribed are unnecessary. Misuse of antibiotics leads to resistance as well as adverse events and C. difficile infections.

Antibiotic stewardship programs have proven effective and should be developed by all healthcare facilities to ensure antibiotics are being prescribed correctly. For these programs to be effective, several core elements must exist as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

• Leadership Commitment: Dedicating necessary human, financial, and information technology resources.
• Accountability: Appointing a single leader responsible for program outcomes. Experience with successful programs show that a physician leader is effective.
• Drug Expertise: Appointing a single pharmacist leader responsible for working to improve antibiotic use.
• Action: Implementing at least one recommended action, such as systemic re-evaluation of ongoing treatment need (i.e. “antibiotic time out” after 48 hours).
• Tracking: Monitoring antibiotic prescribing and resistance patterns.
• Reporting: Disseminating information on antibiotic use and resistance patterns to doctors, nurses and relevant staff.
• Education: Teaching clinicians about resistance and optimal prescribing.

During the spring of 2017, the Allegheny County Health Department surveyed acute care and long-term care facilities to determine the existence and components of antibiotic stewardship programs across Allegheny County. Allegheny County Health Department's 2017 Antibiotic Stewardship Survey Results Summary(PDF, 226KB).