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The use of antimicrobial agents is a valuable health intervention, yet may result in unintended consequences including toxicity, the selection of pathogenic organisms, and the development of organisms resistant to antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial stewardship is an activity that includes appropriate selection, dosing, routine, and duration of antimicrobial therapy. Effective antimicrobial stewardship in combination with a comprehensive infection control program has shown to limit the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Having an antimicrobial stewardship program to optimize antimicrobial use is a Required Organizational Practice of Accreditation Canada.
Pembroke Regional Hospital has a multi disciplinary Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee, including pharmacists, physicians, and Infection Prevention and Control practitioners. The goal of the committee is to optimize antimicrobial use to achieve the best patient outcomes, reduce the risk of infections, reduce or stabilize levels of antibiotic resistance, and promote patient safety. Click here for the ‘Quick Tip’.
The Committee is responsible for implementing various interventions such as education, strategies for streamlining or de-escalation of therapy, audit and feedback and more. Priority interventions are decided by the committee based on monitoring and tracking of antimicrobial prescribing, and other important outcomes like C. difficile infection and resistance patterns.