Revised hospital antibiotic formulary reduces antimicrobial consumption and promotes a shift towards narrow‐spectrum antibiotic usage

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of microorganisms to antibiotics has been declared a serious threat to global public health and an issue that requires intervention across all social and government sectors.The emergence and spread of AMR threaten our ability to treat common infectious diseases, resulting in prolonged illness, disability, increasing healthcare costs and higher mortality rates. 1 In April 2016, the Government of Japan devised a national action plan to intensify efforts and measures against AMR. 2 The plan presented priorities to be implemented over the next 5 years to promote measures against AMR in the country. Approximately 90% of antimicrobials consumed in Japan are oral medications, which are prescribed to patients over an extensive age range, whereas injectable antibiotics

Improving the antibiotic duration of therapy with the implementation of antimicrobial lanyard cards and education in a regional hospital

“…There are several strategies to improve prescribing with potential translation to reductions in antibiotic duration of therapy (DoT). Considerable research has been carried out to demonstrate the benefits of: promotion of local guidelines, national guidelines, and formulary restrictions; 12,13 the use of aids such as cards and posters to help guide the choice of antibiotics; 12 advocacy for early narrow‐spectrum antibiotics over broad spectrum, where appropriate; 14 improving intravenous to oral antibiotic switching; 15 and fostering a culture of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) 16 . The overall implementation of these interventions is summarised in several systematic reviews and the World Health Organization guideline for antimicrobial stewardship programs 17–19 …”