A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights programs and resources to facilitate antibiotic stewardship in the health care industry.
The report, titled “Antibiotic Use in the United States, 2017: Progress and Opportunities,” aims to raise awareness about the need for antibiotic stewardship. It cites a 2016 study that found no change in antibiotic use in U.S. hospitals from 2006 to 2012, with more than half of patients receiving at least one antibiotic during their hospital stay.
The report outlines specific programs implemented by hospitals and public health departments across the country to improve antibiotic prescribing practices as part of CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative. The report also encourages hospitals and other health care facilities to use CDC’s Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship — leadership commitment, accountability, drug expertise, action, tracking, reporting, and education — to form a framework for antibiotic stewardship.
Contact Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.
