Education campaign reduces antibiotic prescribing by emergency department physicians for upper respiratory tract infections

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Education Campaign ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Antibiotic Prescribing for Patients with Upper Respiratory Tract Infections by Emergency Physicians in a Singapore Tertiary Hospital

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
WY Lee
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Emergency Physicians ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Objective Despite the paucity of supporting evidence, the use of antibiotics in the management of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) remains a persistent and worrying trend worldwide. This survey study set out to examine the antibiotic prescribing profile of emergency physicians for patients diagnosed with URTI at a local tertiary hospital. Methods Patients seeking treatment for URTI at the emergency department in the year 2001 were identified by their ICD-9 code. The electronic medical records of a random sample of these patients were reviewed. Patients with the following documented findings were excluded: (a) a duration of more than 7 days between disease onset and date of consultation, (b) prior antibiotic usage or medical consultation, (c) presentation of purulent sputum and/or purulent nasal discharge, and (d) existing medical conditions requiring antibiotic treatment/prophylaxis. Chi-square and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the association of patient-related factors with antibiotic prescribing. Results Of a random sample of 488 cases of URTI, inappropriate antibiotic prescribing was observed in 24% of cases (95% CI 20%, 28%). Significant associations were observed between antibiotic prescribing and month of consultation, patients' temperature and symptom of rhinorrhoea. Conclusion A substantial proportion of emergency department patients with URTI received antibiotics despite the lack of evidence supporting the drugs' effectiveness. Appropriate interventions to promote evidence-based prescribing amongst emergency physicians are required to reduce the extent of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing as well as to ensure the longevity of antibiotic effectiveness.

scholarly journals Implementation of a Delayed Prescribing Model to Reduce Antibiotic Prescribing for Suspected Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in a Hospital Outpatient Department, Ghana

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 773
Author(s):  
Sam Ghebrehewet ◽  
Wendi Shepherd ◽  
Edwin Panford-Quainoo ◽  
Saran Shantikumar ◽  
Valerie Decraene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Outpatient Department ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Antibiotic Prescribing ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Antimicrobial Prescribing ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Background: High levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Ghana require the exploration of new approaches to optimise antimicrobial prescribing. This study aims to establish the feasibility of implementation of different delayed/back-up prescribing models on antimicrobial prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Methods: This study was part of a quality improvement project at LEKMA Hospital, Ghana, (Dec 2019–Feb 2020). Patients meeting inclusion criteria were assigned to one of four groups (Group 0: No prescription given; Group 1; Patient received post-dated antibiotic prescription; Group 2: Offer of a rapid reassessment of patient by a nurse practitioner after 3 days; and Group 3: Post-dated prescription forwarded to hospital pharmacy). Patients were contacted 10 days afterwards to ascertain wellbeing and actions taken, and patients were asked rate the service on a Likert scale. Post-study informal discussions were conducted with hospital staff. Results: In total, 142 patients met inclusion criteria. Groups 0, 1, 2 and 3 had 61, 16, 44 and 21 patients, respectively. Common diagnosis was sore throat (73%). Only one patient took antibiotics after 3 days. Nearly all (141/142) patients were successfully contacted on day 10, and of these, 102 (72%) rated their experiences as good or very good. Informal discussions with staff revealed improved knowledge of AMR. Conclusions: Delayed/back-up prescribing can reduce antibiotic consumption amongst outpatient department patients with suspected URTIs. Delayed/back-up prescribing can be implemented safely in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

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