Non-Restrictive Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a General and Emergency Surgery Unit.

Background: The goal of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) is to prevent the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance and reduce adverse drug events, optimizing the selection, dosing, and duration of therapy in individual patients.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated changes in antimicrobial agent use associated with implementation of an ASP in a general and emergency unit. The pre-intervention and post-intervention periods were defined as July 1, 2013, to December 31, 2013 (pre-intervention) and January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2014 (post-intervention).