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Antimicrobial Stewardship

Antimicrobial Stewardship

Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS): The effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients so that antibiotics are only prescribed and used when needed. Using antibiotics only when needed preserves their effectiveness.


Business Case Thumbnail Webinar | Business Case for Developing an Antibiotic Stewardship Program in Your SNF
Establish Committee Thumbnail Webinar | How to Establish an Antibiotic Stewardship Committee
Education Thumbnail Webinar | Antibiotic Stewardship Education in SNFs
AR Threat Report Although antibiotics have many helpful effects, their use has created the new problem of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to the public's health. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. Each year in the United States, nearly 3 million people get infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and nearly 36,000 people die as a result.

 

July 12, 2022  - CDC released a new report finding that much of the progress made in the United States in previous years combating antimicrobial resistance (AR) was lost, in large part, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report, COVID-19: U.S. Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance, Special Report 2022, concludes that the threat of antimicrobial-resistant infections is not only still present but has gotten worse—with resistant hospital-onset infections and deaths both increasing at least 15% during the first year of the pandemic. 

    CDC's Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Investments:

    The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention's (CDC) provides critical support to every state to protect Americans from antibiotic resistance. To learn more about CDC's Investments in Michigan view the 2021 AR Solutions In Action (PDF) or CDC's Antibiotic Resistance Investment Map.

    Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Efforts:

    Antibiotic Use Statewide Trends Report (November 2023 - January 2024) - Approximately half of Michigan’s hospitals report data into the National Healthcare Safety Network’s Antimicrobial Use (AU) option. MDHHS reviews and analyzes this data to produce reports on statewide trends of antimicrobial use.

    MDHHS Partners With:

    • The Collaboration to Harmonize Antimicrobial Registry Measures (CHARM) utilizes existing data from partner institution's electronic medical records (EMR) to quantify and assess local antimicrobial prescribing practices. With this data, we are promoting awareness, supporting research, and disseminating best practices surrounding outpatient antibiotic utilization.

    • Wayne State University Anti-infective Research Laboratory
      • Rapid Diagnostic Detection in Bloodstream Infections - In response to molecular rapid diagnostic identification of a blood culture positive for ESBL- or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales or S.aureus, pharmacists will implement automatic antimicrobial substitution. This will evaluate whether the pharmacy intervention can decrease the time to optimal antimicrobial therapy.
      • Discharge Antibiotic Stewardship - Pharmacists will review antibiotics prior to patient discharge and pend the correct antibiotic, antibiotic duration, and other information for the prescriber to review. This aims to improve antibiotic appropriateness and reduce antibiotic durations of therapy, antibiotic adverse events, recurrences, and patient readmissions.

    • The Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition (MARR) seeks to improve the use of antimicrobial agents in communities throughout the state of Michigan through the collaborative educational efforts of academic, government, and community partners.

    AMS Updates:

      Public Health and Healthcare Professionals You and Your Family
      Find antibiotic stewardship program resources for acute care, long term care, outpatient and public health settings. Learn more about antibiotic resistance and steps you can do to help prevent it.