Antibiotic Prescribing to Outpatients in the U.S., 2007–2009

Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs during office visits. Previous investigations have shown that many such prescriptions are not indicated. However, before programs aiming to improve antibiotic prescribing practice can be designed, knowledge about actual prescribing patterns is necessary.

Using data for 2007–2009 from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (a representative sample of 238,624 adult patient visits to offices, hospital outpatient departments, and emergency departments [EDs] in the U.S.), researchers estimated that antibiotics were prescribed during 101 million ambulatory care visits — 10% of all visits — annually in the U.S. The annual antibioti…