A World Wide Web-based antimicrobial stewardship program improves efficiency, communication, and user satisfaction and reduces cost in a tertiary care pediatric medical center.

Reduction in $370,069 in projected, annual cost associated with restricted antimicrobial use and an 11.6% reduction in doses of restricted antibiotics over one year. User satisfaction improved from 22% to 68% and from 13% to 69% among prescribers and pharmacists respectively.

Reference:
Agwu AL, Lee CK, Jain SK, Murray KL, Topolski J, Miller RE, Townsend T and Lehmann CU. A World Wide Web-based antimicrobial stewardship program improves efficiency, communication, and user satisfaction and reduces cost in a tertiary care pediatric medical center. CID 2008; 47: 747-753

Setting:
175-bed, tertiary-care children’s hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA

Key staff:
Pediatric infectious disease physicians, pediatric pharmacists, and informatician

Intervention:
Electronic Monitoring – Implementation of a web-based program to provide automated clinical decision support, faciliate approval and real-time communication with prescribers related to antibiotics.

Impact:
Reduction in $370,069 in projected, annual cost associated with restricted antimicrobial use and an 11.6% reduction in doses of restricted antibiotics over one year. User satisfaction improved from 22% to 68% and from 13% to 69% among prescribers and pharmacists respectively.

Tools:
World Wide Web-based antimicrobial restriction program