Pharmacist-Driven Implementation of Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing Algorithms Improves Guideline Adherence in the Emergency Department.

Background: Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics has been identified as the most important modifiable risk factor for antimicrobial resistance.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to improve guideline adherence and promote optimal use of outpatient antibiotics in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: Prescribing algorithms for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), and urinary tract infections (UTI) were developed to integrate clinical practice guideline recommendations with local ED antibiogram data.