Pro/con debate: Should antimicrobial stewardship programs be adopted universally in the intensive care unit?

Crit Care. 2010;14(1):205. doi: 10.1186/cc8219. Epub 2010 Feb 25.

Abstract

You are director of a large multi-disciplinary ICU. You have recently read that hospital-wide antibiotic stewardship programs have the potential to improve the quality and safety of care, and to reduce the emergence of multi-drug resistant organisms and overall costs. You are considering starting one of these programs in your ICU, but are concerned about the associated infrastructure costs. You are debating whether it is worth bringing the concept forward to your hospital's administration to consider investing in.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Diffusion of Innovation*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Infection Control / organization & administration*
  • Intensive Care Units / organization & administration*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Program Development

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents