December 21, 2017
With cold and flu season upon us, it's a good time to talk about the overuse of antibiotics. To emphasize the threat of antibiotic resistance and the need to use antibiotics wisely, Washington Governor Inslee issued a proclamation declaring Nov 13-17, 2017 Antibiotic Awareness Week. This is part of a national and international effort to improve use of antibiotics in order to optimize patient outcomes, improve population health, save money, and preserve the effectiveness of these lifesaving medications.
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH), in collaboration with partners, offers a suite of tools and resources to improve use of antibiotics in Washington. Consider sharing these resources with providers and facilities in your organization.
The Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit for Ambulatory Settings is now available. The toolkit includes
Washington State's DOH also partners with the QIN-QIO for Washington State, Qualis Health, on their AMS in Outpatient Settings initiative.
Why is this important?
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) recently conducted a study on claims data focusing on the overuse of antibiotics for non-bacterial illnesses. While the BCBSA claims data showed there's been a general decline in prescriptions filled for children and adults (16 percent for kids and 13 percent for adults), there is still work to do.
In 21 percent of cases, patients were prescribed antibiotics for conditions where these medications wouldn't be effective. In 75 percent of these questionable cases, broad spectrum antibiotics were prescribed. These medications cover a wide range of bacteria and are most likely to trigger the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. There was also a 30 percent increase in the prescribing of reserved antibiotics, typically used for antibiotic-resistant bacteria like MRSA.
What can you do?
Have a conversation with your patients about the overuse of antibiotics. The Choosing Wisely site, a patient-friendly resource developed by Consumer Reports in conjunction with medical specialties, offers many resources on the best use of antibiotics. It includes information on how to talk to your doctor, ways to relieve symptoms, and symptoms that may require the use of antibiotics. We encourage you to share these great resources with patients, friends, and family to help everyone stay healthy.