Antibiotic stewardship is a coordinated set of efforts to:
- Measure antibiotic prescribing
- Improve prescribing by clinicians and use by patients so that antibiotics are only prescribed and used when needed
- Minimize misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses leading to underuse of antibiotics
- Ensure that the correct drug, dose, and duration are selected when an antibiotic is needed
Antibiotic Misuse
Misuse of antibiotics is a major contributor to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At least 30% of all antibiotics currently prescribed in the outpatient setting are done so unnecessarily, and as much as half of outpatient antibiotic selection, dosing, or duration in humans may be inappropriate[1].
[1] Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship (URL pending)
Antibiotics Are Not Always Necessary
As antibiotics do not work on viral infections, antibiotics should be prescribed only when a bacterial infection is known or suspected.
Do | Don’t |
---|---|
Ask your healthcare professional about what you can do to stop or slow antibiotic resistance | Take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold or the flu |
Ask your healthcare professional if there are steps you can take to feel better and get relief from your symptoms without using antibiotics. | Pressure your healthcare professional to prescribe an antibiotic. |
Take the prescribed antibiotic exactly as your healthcare professional tells you. | Skip doses or stop taking an antibiotic early, even if you no longer feel sick, unless your healthcare professional tells you to do so. |
Safely discard any leftover medication. | Save antibiotics for the next time you become sick or take antibiotics prescribed for someone else. |
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Flyer (PDF):
Antibiotics Aren’t Always The Answer Flyer (CDC) :
English | *Chuukese | *Ilokano | *日本語 Japanese | *Marshallese | *Tagalog
*Translated by the Hawaii State Department of Health