CDC · Health advisory ·
CDC framework for outpatient antibiotic stewardship
The CDC says it updated a framework to help outpatient programs improve antibiotic use and limit antimicrobial resistance.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that outpatient antibiotic stewardship programs promote appropriate antibiotic use to improve patient care. The Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Programs provides a framework for health systems, outpatient facilities, and prescribing clinicians.
This framework is for improving antibiotic use in outpatient settings. It includes an assessment tool for evaluating stewardship efforts, a resource for measuring antibiotic use, and fact sheets with strategies tailored to specific outpatient settings.
The CDC says effective stewardship programs can protect patients and improve clinical outcomes. It also emphasizes health systems’ role in supporting better prescribing across their networks, while continuing stewardship activities at the clinic and clinician level.