Engaging Internal Medicine Hospitalists in Antimicrobial Stewardship —a Systematic Review

AbstractPurpose of reviewThe purpose of this article is to critically assess the literature on engaging internal medicine hospitalists in antimicrobial stewardship.Recent findingsFew studies exist that describe hospitalist-led antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. Most studies in this review employed quasi-experimental or quality improvement methods. Across the studies included in our analysis, those with interventions that focused on single disease processes (e.g., pneumonia, UTI, SSTI) had a more robust impact on their selected outcomes. In the reviewed literature, engaging internal medicine hospitalists in antimicrobial stewardship efforts resulted in improved antimicrobial appropriateness and decreased broad-spectrum antibiotic usage.SummaryDespite being identified as key stakeholders and potential leaders in antimicrobial stewardship efforts, there is a paucity of literature to guide the best incorporation of hospitalists in this work.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research