Antibiotic stewardship programs: 4 case studies

Approximately 23,000 deaths and at least 2 million illnesses occur annually in the United States due to drug-resistant bacteria, according to the CDC.

All antibiotic use has the potential to contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. That's why it is key to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use in order to slow the growth of resistance.

Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) in hospitals and other inpatient facilities help ensure that antibiotics are used only when they are needed, and that when they are needed, the most appropriate types, doses, and length of antibiotic treatments are used.

"ASPs have been shown to be effective in not only slowing the rise of resistant bacteria but also improving patient outcomes and safety by maximizing the effectiveness of antibiotic treatments and by reducing the adverse events associated with antibiotic use," says David Hyun, MD, senior officer, Antibiotic Resistance Project, The Pew Charitable Trusts. "ASPs help improve the quality and safety of patient care provided by hospitals while lowering total medical costs."

The Pew Charitable Trust recently released a report profiling how different healthcare facilities across the country are using antibiotic stewardship programs as part of their efforts to tackle the threat of antibiotic resistance.

"Each of the ASPs was able to create and implement effective stewardship programs tailored to the needs and resources of their facilities, demonstrating that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to antibiotic stewardship," Hyun says.

Here are four of the 10 ASP programs highlighted in the report that stand out for their diverse approaches.

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