Abstract
BackgroundTo assess antimicrobial prescribing in a Northern Ireland hospital (Antrim Area Hospital (AAH)) and compare them with those of a hospital in Jordan (Specialty Hospital).MethodsUsing the Global-PPS approach, the present study surveyed patients admitted to the hospital in 2015, the prescribed antibiotics, and a set of quality control indicators related to antibiotics.ResultsUltimately, 444 and 112 inpatients in the AAH and the Specialty Hospital, respectively, were surveyed. For the medical group, 165 inpatients were prescribed 239 antibiotics in the AAH, while 44 patients in the Specialty Hospital were prescribed 65 antibiotics. In relation to the surgical group, 34 inpatients treated for infection were prescribed 66 antibiotics in the AAH, while 41 patients in the Specialty Hospital treated for infection were prescribed 56 antibiotics. For the medical patients, the most frequently prescribed antibiotics in the AAH were a combination of penicillins (18.8%) and penicillins with extended spectrum (18.8%). For the surgical patients, the most frequently prescribed antibiotics in the AAH were imidazole derivatives (24.2%). For the medical and surgical patients in the Specialty Hospital, the most frequently prescribed antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins (26.2 and 37.5%, respectively). In medical patients, compliance to guidelines was 92.2% in the Specialty Hospital compared to 72.0% in the AAH (p < 0.001). In surgical patients, compliance to guidelines was 92.7% in the Specialty Hospital compared to 81.8% in the AAH (p = 0.012).ConclusionsThe present study highlighted differences in the utilisation of antimicrobials between two hospitals in two distinct regions and benchmarked antibiotic prescriptions across two hospitals.
Highlights
To assess antimicrobial prescribing in a Northern Ireland hospital (Antrim Area Hospital (AAH)) and compare them with those of a hospital in Jordan (Specialty Hospital)
In medical and surgical patients, antibiotics were prescribed for 199 patients in Antrim Area Hospital and 85 patients in the Specialty Hospital
Overall, antibiotics were prescribed for 46.2% in the Antrim Area Hospital and 78.2% in the specialty hospital
Summary
To assess antimicrobial prescribing in a Northern Ireland hospital (Antrim Area Hospital (AAH)) and compare them with those of a hospital in Jordan (Specialty Hospital). Antibiotics are curative agents directed toward infectious diseases to minimize morbidity and mortality and are considered one of the most important advances in the treatment of medical diseases. Microbial resistance is considered a growing challenge that can render antibiotics ineffective. It is a major health concern that has detrimental effects on society as highlighted via the worrying and alarming levels of antimicrobial resistance, increased mortality, and increased utilization of healthcare resources [3,4,5]. Healthcare professionals, including pharmacy staff, have identified this challenge and developed antimicrobial stewardship programs. These programs include sets of activities and practices that are directed for the appropriate use of antimicrobials in terms of the selection, dosing, route, and duration of antimicrobial therapy
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