Infectious disease physicians are the ideal stakeholders to lead antimicrobial stewardship programs in the healthcare setting, according to a paper published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The paper's authors — leaders from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America — argue multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship programs are most effective when led by infectious disease physicians.
These physicians are able to look beyond individual patient cases and see the broader repercussions of widespread antimicrobial use.
The study authors cited numerous antimicrobial stewardship programs led by infectious disease physicians nationwide that have significantly improved patient outcomes and lowered rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections or Clostridium difficile infections.
The authors also highlighted the potential benefits of tools like telemedicine to expand healthcare facilities' access to infectious disease leaders to help with antimicrobial stewardship.