An antimicrobial stewardship program at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore was shown to be cost-efficient and effective over a seven-year study period, according to a study published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
An antimicrobial stewardship program was implemented in July 2001 and consisted of an antimicrobial monitoring team: an infectious diseases-trained clinical pharmacist and a part-time infectious diseases physician. These professionals were charged with monitoring antimicrobial use and providing education when necessary.
Over the seven-year span, researchers found the program helped decrease costs from $44,181 per 1,000 patient-days prior to implementation to $23,933 by the end of the study. This decrease indicates a 45.8 percent fall in utilization costs and a $3 million reduction over the first three years. After the program was stopped, utilization costs related to antimicrobial use increased from $23,933 to $31,653 per 1,000 patient-days in two years.
An antimicrobial stewardship program was implemented in July 2001 and consisted of an antimicrobial monitoring team: an infectious diseases-trained clinical pharmacist and a part-time infectious diseases physician. These professionals were charged with monitoring antimicrobial use and providing education when necessary.
Over the seven-year span, researchers found the program helped decrease costs from $44,181 per 1,000 patient-days prior to implementation to $23,933 by the end of the study. This decrease indicates a 45.8 percent fall in utilization costs and a $3 million reduction over the first three years. After the program was stopped, utilization costs related to antimicrobial use increased from $23,933 to $31,653 per 1,000 patient-days in two years.
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