Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intensified Chinese special rectification activity on clinical antibiotic use (CSRA) policy on a tertiary-care teaching hospital.Methods: A 48-month longitudinal dataset involving inpatients, outpatients, and emergency patients were collected. Study period included pre-intervention stage (adopting soft measures like systemic training) and post-intervention stage (applying antibiotic control system to intensify CSRA policy). Antibiotic use was evaluated by antibiotic use rate (AUR) or antibiotic use density (AUD). Economic indicator was evaluated by antibiotic cost in prescription or antibiotic expenditure in hospitalization. Data was analyzed by interrupted time series (ITS) analysis.Results: The medical quality indicators remained stable or improved during the study period. AUR of inpatients (AURI) declined 0.553% per month (P = 0.025) before the intervention and declined 0.354% per month (P = 0.471) after the intensified CSRA policy was implemented. AUD, expressed as defined daily doses per 100 patients per day (DDDs/100PD), decreased by 1.102 DDDs/100PD per month (P = 0.021) before and decreased by 0.597 DDDs/100PD per month (P = 0.323) thereafter. The ratio of antibiotic expenditure to medication expenditure (AE/ME) decreased by 0.510% per month (P = 0.000) before and fell by 0.096% (P = 0.000) per month thereafter. AE per patient decreased by 25.309 yuan per month (P = 0.002) before and decreased by 7.987 yuan per month (P = 0.053) thereafter. AUR of outpatient (AURO) decreased by 0.065% per month before (P = 0.550) and decreased by 0.066% per month (P = 0.994) thereafter. The ratio of antibiotic cost to prescription cost in outpatient (ACO/PCO) decreased by 0.182% per month (P = 0.506) before and decreased by 0.216% per month (P = 0.906) thereafter. AUR of emergency patient (AURE) decreased by 0.400% per month (P = 0.044) before and decreased by 0.092% per month (P = 0.164) thereafter. The ratio of antibiotic cost to prescription cost in emergency patient (ACE/PCE) decreased by 0.616% per month (P < 0.001) before and decreased by 0.151% per month (P < 0.001) thereafter.Conclusions: Implementation of CSRA policy was associated with declining antibiotic use and antibiotic expenditure in inpatients, outpatients, and emergency patients. However, it is also important to note that the declining trend of antibiotic consumption slowed due to the limited capacity for decline in the later stages of CSRA intervention.
Highlights
Antibiotics have been widely used for more than 70 years
The findings of this study demonstrate that antibiotic use of inpatients (AURI and antibiotic use density (AUD)), outpatient (AURO), and emergency patients (AURE) notably decreased in the pre-intervention period from January 2011 to March 2012
It was apparent that soft measures such as systemic training and education play an important role in reducing antibiotic use
Summary
Antibiotics have been widely used for more than 70 years. During this time, inappropriate or excessive use of antibiotics has accelerated antibiotic resistance. Substantial reports have demonstrated the causal relationships between antibiotic consumption and selective pressure in resistant organisms [1,2,3,4]. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) has become a global healthcare concern. In 2007, the Infectious Diseases Society of America published the Guidelines for Developing an Institutional Program to Enhance Antimicrobial Stewardship. These guidelines were the first to conceptualize AMS as a set of interventions targeted toward addressing the rapid development of antibiotic resistance in hospital settings. Thereafter, many countries joined the AMS program and achieved positive outcomes [5,6,7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
