Antimicrobial stewardship
Resources for prescribers
In Canada, about 90% of all human antimicrobial consumption occurs in the community. Up to 50% of antibiotics prescribed in the community are unnecessary or inappropriate.
Antimicrobial stewardship principles can help improve antibiotic use in the community and reduce the risks of adverse events, C. difficile, and antimicrobial resistance. Approximately 30% of hospitalized patients receive antibiotics on any given day. Following good antimicrobial stewardship principles has the direct potential to improve patient safety, improve patient outcomes, reduce rates of C. difficile and antimicrobial resistance, and improve patient flow.
Use the following resources when addressing antimicrobial stewardship in both community and institutional settings.
| Resource | Description | Organization | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Antimicrobial Stewardship | Trends in antibiotic resistance and antibiotic utilization in BC. Information about the wise use of antibiotics | BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) | |
| Therapeutics Initiative: Research and publications | Compilation of drug evidence presented through medical reports, Therapeutics Letter newsletters, systematic reviews | University of British Columbia | |
| Bugs & Drugs: Antibiotics | General recommendations for appropriate antibiotic use | Alberta Health Services | |
| Do Bugs Need Drugs? | Community program for wise use of antibiotics | Alberta Health Services | |
| Recommendations and resources, by specialties | Recommendations and resources for clinicians | Choosing Wisely Canada | |
| Pathways | Quick access to referral information, patient and clinician resources | Pathways | |
| Antimicrobial Stewardship for Health Care Professionals | Clinical tools and resources on incorporating antimicrobial stewardship into practice | BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) | |
| Antibiotic Wise: Antibiotic Resources for Health Care Professionals | Resources on correct use of antibiotics, addressing superbugs and antibiotic resistance | BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) | |
| Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance | Information on the pan-Canadian antimicrobial resistance action plan, building the business case, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week | Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada (AMMI Canada) | |
| Antibiotic (antimicrobial) resistance | Educational resources on antibiotic (antimicrobial) resistance, services, publications, consultations, initiatives led by the federal government | Public Health Agency of Canada | |
| Antibiograms | Antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of the most commonly reported pathogens | LifeLabs | |
| ASPIRES | Treatment recommendations, antimicrobials, and antibiograms | Vancouver Coastal Health | |
| Antibiotic Prescribing and Use in the U.S. | American resources on antimicrobial stewardship, antibiotic use and prescribing, patient education, health-care professional training and resources | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
Tools and toolkits
| Resource | Description | Organization | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metrics for evaluating antibiotic use and prescribing in outpatient settings | Journal article in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance publication | University of Oxford | |
| The Cold Standard | Toolkit for using antibiotics wisely for the management of respiratory tract infections | Choosing Wisely Canada | |
| Drop the Label | Antibiotic de-labelling tool | Drop the Label | |
| Prescribing Tool: Viral Prescription Pad (Adult) | Checklist outlining why an antibiotic was not prescribed for viral infection - for adults | Choosing Wisely Canada | |
| Prescribing Tool: Viral Prescription Pad (Pediatric) | Checklist outlining why an antibiotics was not prescribed for viral infection - for children | Choosing Wisely Canada | |
| Prescribing Tool: Viral Prescription Pad (EMR integration) | Integrate the Viral Prescription Pad and Delayed Prescription tools in existing electronic medical record (EMR) | Choosing Wisely Canada |
Patient resources
| Resource | Description | Organization | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you think you need antibiotics? | Infographic with five questions to discuss with a health-care provider | Public Health Ontario |
Request a personalized report
Understand your own prescribing habits and see how you compare with other prescribers