Antibiotic Stewardship

In order to address emerging antimicrobial resistance, the CDC recommends antibiotic stewardship programs to optimize antibiotic selection and reduce the inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The new medication management standards (MM.09.01.01) for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and nursing care centers became effective January 1, 2017, and are available online at https://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/6/New_Antimicrobial_Stewardship_Standard.pdf . This new antimicrobial stewardship standard includes elements of leadership commitment (accountability documents, budget plans, performance improvement plans, strategic plans, use of electronic health records), education of staff and patients, multidisciplinary teams, analysis of individual medical center data, and application of these results toward improvement in treatment outcomes.