Promoting Judicious Antibiotic Use: Results of an Outpatient-Based Randomized EMR-generated intervention study

摘要

BackgroundAccording to the CDC, up to 50% of antibiotic (abx) prescriptions are not needed or inappropriate–often used too long or too broadly. Repercussions include multidrug resistance, adverse reactions, and increased incidence and mortality from Clostridium difficile. A JAMA study demonstrated that IDSA guidelines can influence abx prescribing patterns positively for genitourinary infections.In this electronic age, interventions include providing direct access to guidelines through a Best Practice Alert (BPA) embedded within electronic medical records (EMR). This assists clinicians when recommending abx. The study’s goal was to improve compliance with guidelines when treating uncomplicated UTIs at outpatient sites by using targeted education and Clinical Decision Support (CDS).