Evaluation of antibiotic prescribing patterns for surgical prophylaxis before and after an educational campaign about penicillin allergies: a single-center, retrospective study.

After an educational campaign about reasonable use of cefazolin for surgical prophylaxis, optimal preoperative antibiotic regimen utilization increased from 52% to 67% ( = 0.011). Education to physicians on penicillin allergies may contribute to meaningful increases in use of optimal antibiotics while reducing readmissions and acute care length of stay.

Resources and strategies for learning infectious diseases pharmacotherapy during advanced pharmacy practice experiences and pharmacy residency.

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

Impact of removing ESBL status labelling from culture reports on the use of carbapenems for non-bacteraemic patients diagnosed with ESBL-positive urinary tract infections.

Objectives: To evaluate carbapenem prescribing rates for initial definitive treatment of urinary tract infections and clinical outcomes before and after removing ESBL status labels on antibiotic susceptibility reports.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients treated for at least 48 h for an ESBL-producing/ceftriaxone-resistant Enterobacterales urinary tract infection. ESBL status reporting ceased in September 2022 for a network of seven community hospitals within the USA.

A Baker's Dozen of Top Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Publications in 2022.

Keeping abreast of the antimicrobial stewardship-related articles published each year is challenging. The Southeastern Research Group Endeavor identified antimicrobial stewardship-related, peer-reviewed literature that detailed an actionable intervention during 2022. The top 13 publications were selected using a modified Delphi technique.

Evaluating the Impact of Source-specific Order Sets for Sepsis on Empiric Antibiotic Selection in the Emergency Department.

This retrospective cohort study found that implementing source-specific antibiotic order sets for sepsis in the emergency department increased appropriate empiric antibiotic selection from 51% to 74% ( = .01).

Impact of a monthly antimicrobial stewardship quality assurance tool for elevated vancomycin levels.

Objective: We sought to determine the value of an audit-and-feedback monitoring method in facilitating meaningful practice changes to improve vancomycin dosing and monitoring.

Design: Retrospective, multicenter, before-and-after implementation observational quality assurance initiative.

Setting: The study was conducted in 7 not-for-profit, acute-care hospitals within a health system in southern Florida.

Analysis of an Antibiotic Stewardship Program for Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Importance: Antibiotic stewardship for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is an important quality improvement target. Understanding how to implement successful antibiotic stewardship interventions is limited.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a quality improvement stewardship intervention on reducing unnecessary urine cultures and antibiotic use in patients with ASB.

Global resilience and new strategies needed for antimicrobial stewardship during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Resilience is having the ability to respond to adversity proactively and resourcefully. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic's profound impact on antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) requires clinicians to call on their own resilience to manage the demands of the pandemic and the disruption of ASP activities. This article provides examples of ASP resilience from pharmacists and physicians from seven countries with different resources and approaches to ASP-The United States, The United Kingdom, Canada, Nigeria, Lebanon, South Africa, and Colombia.

How to Harness the Power of Social Media for Quality Drug Information in Infectious Diseases: Perspectives on Behalf of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Clinicians, researchers, and the public frequently turn to digital channels and social media for up-to-the-minute information on novel therapeutics and vaccines. The value of credible infectious diseases drug information is more apparent in the setting of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This viewpoint by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) provides guidance on utilizing social media platforms to optimize infectious diseases pharmacotherapy.

Go V.I.R.A.L.: Social Media Engagement Strategies in Infectious Diseases.

Social media has emerged as a tool to facilitate communication and dissemination of information for both patients and healthcare professionals. We describe 3 social media engagement strategies used to reach a broad and diverse audience on the topics of infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship, including the use of memes, a clue-based knowledge assessment quiz, and a personality quiz. We describe a novel acronym "VIRAL" to guide engaging social media strategies in healthcare, including eye catching Visuals, Interactive content, showing Respect and empathy for the audience, Adapting to new technology, and making Learning fun.

A Baker's Dozen of Top Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Publications in 2020.

The number of articles related to antimicrobial stewardship published each year has increased significantly over the last decade. Keeping up with the literature, particularly the most innovative, well-designed, or applicable to one's own practice area, can be challenging. The Southeastern Research Group Endeavor (SERGE-45) network reviewed antimicrobial stewardship-related, peer-reviewed literature from 2020 that detailed actionable interventions.

Global contributions of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) global pandemic, pharmacists were rarely mentioned as essential frontline health care providers by the news media, the public, or politicians. Around the world, pharmacists are working on the frontlines of health care every day providing essential health care services during the pandemic. Pharmacists are medication experts providing patient care in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, community pharmacies, long-term care, physician offices, and national and public health.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet-a Review of the Viral Power of Twitter for Infectious Diseases.

Purpose Of Review: With real-time communication crucial to both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the public in infectious diseases (ID), social media networking sites has become even more important. Twitter is the most popular form of social media used for ID communication. We will review the power of Twitter in ID.

A Baker's Dozen of Top Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Publications in 2018.

With an increasing number of antimicrobial stewardship-related articles published each year, attempting to stay current is challenging. The Southeastern Research Group Endeavor (SERGE-45) identified antimicrobial stewardship-related peer-reviewed literature that detailed an actionable intervention for 2018. The top 13 publications were selected using a modified Delphi technique.

The essential role of pharmacists in antibiotic stewardship in outpatient care: An official position statement of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Objectives: The objective of this position statement is to describe the essential role of pharmacists in antimicrobial stewardship in outpatient care.

Data Sources: N/A.

Summary: The majority of antibiotic prescribing occurs in outpatient care settings highlighting the need for antibiotic stewardship in the community.

Outpatient antibiotic stewardship: Interventions and opportunities.

Improving the use of antibiotics across the continuum of care is a national priority. Data outlining the misuse of antibiotics in the outpatient setting justify the expansion of antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) into this health care setting; however, best practices for outpatient antibiotic stewardship (AS) are not yet defined. In a companion article, we focused on recommendations to overcome challenges related to the implementation of an outpatient ASP (e.

A call to action for outpatient antibiotic stewardship.

Objectives: To address the public health threat of antibiotic resistance, there has been an enhanced call for antibiotic stewardship programs throughout the health care continuum.

Summary: While antibiotic stewardship programs have been well described in the inpatient setting, data on effectiveness and guidance on implementing outpatient programs is scarce. Establishing stewardship practices in the outpatient setting is necessary because more than 60% of human antibiotic use occurs in this setting.

Pharmacist engagement within a hepatitis C ambulatory care clinic in the era of a treatment revolution.

Objectives: To describe an innovative hepatitis C virus (HCV) care program and treatment outcomes resulting from pharmacist services.

Setting: Adult ambulatory care HCV clinic within the Miami Veteran Affairs Healthcare System.

Practice Description: Pharmacists with limited prescriptive authority are integrated into a medical hepatology care team.

Obtaining i.v. fosfomycin through an expanded-access protocol.

Purpose: One hospital's experience with procuring i.v. fosfomycin via an expanded-access protocol to treat a panresistant infection is described.