Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T21:19:55.212Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Empiric Antibiotic Prescribing Decisions Among Medical Residents: The Role of the Antibiogram

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2018

Gregory B. Tallman ,
Rowena A. Vilches-Tran ,
Miriam R. Elman ,
David T. Bearden ,
Jerusha E. Taylor ,
Paul N. Gorman  and
Jessina C. McGregor
Gregory B. Tallman*
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
Rowena A. Vilches-Tran
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
Miriam R. Elman
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
David T. Bearden
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon Department of Pharmacy Services, Oregon Health and Science University Hospital, Portland, Oregon
Jerusha E. Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Services, Oregon Health and Science University Hospital, Portland, Oregon
Paul N. Gorman
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon. (Present affiliation: Outpatient Pharmacy Department, Kaiser Permanente, Manteca, California [R.A.V.T.].)
Jessina C. McGregor
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Oregon State University/Oregon Health and Science University College of Pharmacy, Portland, Oregon
*
Address correspondence to Gregory B. Tallman, PharmD, MS, 2730 SW Moody Ave, CL5CP, Portland, OR 97201 ([email protected]) or Jessina C. McGregor, PhD, 2730 SW Moody Ave, CL5CP, Portland, OR 97201 ([email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To assess general medical residents’ familiarity with antibiograms using a self-administered survey

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, single-center survey

PARTICIPANTS

Residents in internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics at an academic medical center

METHODS

Participants were administered an anonymous survey at our institution during regularly scheduled educational conferences between January and May 2012. Questions collected data regarding demographics, professional training; further open-ended questions assessed knowledge and use of antibiograms regarding possible pathogens, antibiotic regimens, and prescribing resources for 2 clinical vignettes; a series of directed, closed-ended questions followed. Bivariate analyses to compare responses between residency programs were performed.

RESULTS

Of 122 surveys distributed, 106 residents (87%) responded; internal medicine residents accounted for 69% of responses. More than 20% of residents could not accurately identify pathogens to target with empiric therapy or select therapy with an appropriate spectrum of activity in response to the clinical vignettes; correct identification of potential pathogens was not associated with selecting appropriate therapy. Only 12% of respondents identified antibiograms as a resource when prescribing empiric antibiotic therapy for scenarios in the vignettes, with most selecting the UpToDate online clinical decision support resource or The Sanford Guide. When directly questioned, 89% reported awareness of institutional antibiograms, but only 70% felt comfortable using them and only 44% knew how to access them.

CONCLUSIONS

When selecting empiric antibiotics, many residents are not comfortable using antibiograms as part of treatment decisions. Efforts to improve antibiotic use may benefit from residents being given additional education on both infectious diseases pharmacotherapy and antibiogram utilization.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:578–583

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 39 , Issue 5 , May 2018 , pp. 578 - 583
Copyright
© 2018 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. These data were presented in part at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 47th Annual Midyear Clinical Meeting on December 3, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

References

REFERENCES

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2014.Google Scholar
2. Barlam, TF, Cosgrove, SE, Abbo, LM, et al. Implementing an antibiotic stewardship program: guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Clin Infect Dis 2016;62:e51–e77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Kalil, AC, Metersky, ML, Klompas, M, et al. Management of adults with hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia: 2016 clinical practice guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Thoracic Society. Clin Infect Dis 2016;63:e61–e111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Solomkin, JS, Mazuski, JE, Bradley, JS, et al. Diagnosis and management of complicated intra‐abdominal infection in adults and children: guidelines by the Surgical Infection Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 2010;50:133–164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Abbo, LM, Cosgrove, SE, Pottinger, PS, et al. Medical students’ perceptions and knowledge about antimicrobial stewardship: How are we educating our future prescribers? Clin Infect Dis 2013;57:631–638.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Giblin, TB, Sinkowitz-Cochran, RL, Harris, PL, et al. Clinicians’ perceptions of the problem of antimicrobial resistance in health care facilities. Arch Intern Med 2004;164:1662–1668.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Mermel, LA, Jefferson, J, Devolve, J. Knowledge and use of cumulative antimicrobial susceptibility data at a university teaching hospital. Clin Infect Dis 2008;46:1789.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Evans, CT, Rogers, TJ, Burns, SP, Lopansri, B, Weaver, FM. Knowledge and use of antimicrobial stewardship resources by spinal cord injury providers. PM R 2011;3:619–623.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Dyar, OJ, Pulcini, C, Howard, P, Nathwani, D, Policies ESGAP (ESCMID Study Group for Antibiotic Policies). European medical students: a first multicentre study of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of antibiotic prescribing and antibiotic resistance. J Antimicrob Chemother 2014;69:842–846.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10. Nori, P, Madaline, T, Munjal, I, et al. Developing interactive antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention curricula for diverse learners: a tailored approach. Open Forum Infect Dis 2017;4:ofx117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Abbo, L, Sinkowitz-Cochran, R, Smith, L, et al. Faculty and resident physicians’ attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge about antimicrobial use and resistance. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2011;32:714–718.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

Tallman et al. supplementary material

Tallman et al. supplementary material 1

Download Tallman et al. supplementary material(File)
File 29.7 KB