Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
What is the role of antimicrobial stewardship program in curbing misuse and overuse of antimicrobials and reducing multidrug resistance?
Theoretical framework
This study involves a systematic review, where a critical evaluation and assessment is done on research studies that addresses the role of antimicrobial Stewardship program in curbing the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials. This systematic review will involve a comprehensive coverage of various studies that explores the identified question. This challenge of overuse and misuse of antimicrobials is among the biggest problems facing the public health sector across the globe. The discovery of effective antimicrobial agents has been among the greatest contributions to public health over the years since their introduction had dramatic and immediate impact on infectious diseases outcomes. Sadly, the emergence of pathogens that are resistant to the agents has posed a big threat to such advances , so that resistance has become a major health threat affecting clinical outcomes of patients and even cost of healthcare (File, Srinivasan, & Bartlett, 2014) . Even though guidelines for the appropriate use of these antimicrobial agents were developed, failure to abide by them has been a major contributing factor.
Therefore, finding a solution on how to abide by these principles is very urgent considering that a high percentage of these agents especially antibiotic in outpatient and inpatient setting are prescribed incorrectly or unnecessarily. The significance of health impact of this resistance and limited introduction of alternative antimicrobials has raised the need for a stewardship program that will prevent and reduce misuse and overuse. Unlike other kinds of medications, the potential for resistant organisms spreading indicates that antibiotics misuse can have adverse effects on patients’ health, those who have not even been exposed to them (File, Srinivasan, & Bartlett, 2014). There is increasing evidence that supports programs based in hospitals and which aim at improving the use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials. The push for antimicrobial stewardship program has been necessitated by the growing level of the crisis that has been declared a threat to national security. The need for this programs and their effectiveness in promoting the appropriate use of the antimicrobial agents can be seen in the way they have assisted clinicians in the optimization of dosing in different patients (IGI Global, & In Information Resources Management Association, 2017).
The adoptions of this program are of importance to the clinicians and the patients, and their engagement is aimed at teaching how the agents prescribe or how to use among the doctors and patients respectively. The role of the program is not only creating awareness among the patients and clinicians but also includes reducing the cases of resistance against the antimicrobials. The buck falls on the leadership of such programs since they are tasked with ensuring the consumption of these agents follow the established guidelines so that the desired patient outcomes are achieved. The program requires the leadership to involve a multidisciplinary team that cuts across the whole healthcare spectrum including the patients and the patients care givers both inside and outside the healthcare facilities. The use of antimicrobial agents involves all these parties, and the stewardship program has to bring them onboard so that they can accomplish their intended role (IGI Global,& In Information Resources Management Association, 2017). Together, the parties will develop interventions that are implemented in the program and hence the intended impact will be achieved at the healthcare facilities or at home where outpatient individuals could be receiving these drugs.
References
IGI Global,, & In Information Resources Management Association,. (2017). Public health and welfare: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications. 173-175
File, T. M., Srinivasan, A., & Bartlett, J. G. (2014). Antimicrobial stewardship: importance for patient and public health. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 59(suppl 3), S93-S96.
