Antimicrobial Stewardship

Background

Antimicrobial stewardship refers to efforts in doctors’ offices, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other health care settings to ensure that antibiotics are used only when necessary and appropriate. That means prescribing the right drug at the right dose at the right time for the right duration. Initiatives dedicated to improving antimicrobial use are commonly referred to as antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs).

Educational Resources

• CDC Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship
  • CDC’s Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship are setting-specific and offer a set of key principles to guide efforts to improve antibiotic use and, therefore, advance patient safety and improve outcomes
• U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW)
  • Information and resources from CDC
  • Information and resources from VDH
• VCU Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center
  • Virginia Infection Prevention Training Center (VIPTC) – courses and trainings related to infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship
• Virginia Healthcare-Associated Infections Advisory Group
  • Virginia Infection Prevention & Control Training Alliance (VIPTA) – search the education and training resource library for resources related to antimicrobial stewardship

Patient Resources

• Antibiotic Prescribing & Use: Patient Education Handouts, Brochures, and Videos (CDC)

Regulatory Resources

Hospitals

• AUR Reporting for the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program
• CMS Antibiotic Stewardship Program Interpretive Guidance Update for Hospitals
• The Joint Commission Antibiotic Stewardship Standards for Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals

Nursing Homes

• CMS Antimicrobial Stewardship Requirements for Long-Term Care

Collaborations

• Virginia HAI Advisory Group