Loading...
A common practice that received little attention in the development of antibiotic stewardship programs is the continuation after hospital discharge of antibiotic therapy begun in the inpatient setting. Data indicate that two thirds of the treatment course for a number of common infections is now completed in the outpatient setting. Clinicians working in an urban integrated healthcare system developed a program to reduce both the duration of postdischarge antibiotic therapy and the use of agents broadly active against gram-negative bacteria.
The two-part intervention included dissemination of institutional guidelines on the selection and duration of oral step-down antibiotic treatment prescribed at discharge and prospective pharmacist auditin…