ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP
Antimicrobial Stewardship = Antibiotic Stewardship + IPC guidelines
NOV
2016
CMS emphasized importance of infection control in LTC facilities and began working on initiative
NOV
2017
CMS required LTC facilities to develop and implement an antimicrobial stewardship program
NOV
2019
CMS required LTC facilities to have a designated Infection Preventionist
Fundamental to any antibiotic stewardship program is the ability to correctly identify bacterial and viral agents in order to properly treat residents, minimize transmission, and optimize the appropriate use of antibiotics. There are currently millions of infections occurring in Long-Term Care facility residents, which are attributed to roughly 63% of all SNF deaths. As many as 79% of residents in these facilities receive systemic antibiotics each year. As much as 75% of these antibiotics appear to be inappropriately prescribed. Better identification of actual infectious agents through quick and accurate testing is the key to better antibiotic stewardship. Overall improvement will depend on improved antibiotic prescribing habits and decreasing overall antibiotic exposure.
For more information about antimicrobial stewardship requirements, research, costs, and advice from colleagues, visit our Resource Center.
"Focusing only on residents with active infection fails to address the continued risk of transmission from residents with MDRO colonization, which can persist for long periods of time (e.g. months) and result in the silent spread of MDROs.”
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)