Table 5 Identified gaps and potential targets for antibiotic stewardship interventions
Gaps identified | Potential targets |
|---|---|
Guideline adherence increased the use of narrow spectrum WHO Access group antibiotics in this study setting | Promoting adherence to guidelines when prescribing empirical antibiotic therapy |
Antibiotic therapy was initiated in the emergency room for 83.6% of patients | Targeting antibiotic prescribing in the emergency room, focusing on first line clinical staff |
Non-adherence to antibiotic guideline was associated with admittance from another institution | Understanding the drivers for non-adherence in patients admitted from institutions and focusing on antibiotic prescribing for this group of patients |
Non-adherence to antibiotic guideline was associated with the place of initiation of therapy, both regarding hospital site and wards compared to emergency room | Understanding the cultural and contextual drivers for antibiotic prescribing across institutions and specialties |
Mean length of antibiotic therapy was similar across very different groups of diagnosis. | Focusing on reducing the duration of antibiotic therapy safely, in accordance with emerging evidence on duration of antibiotic treatment |
Antibiotics prescribed upon discharge contributed significantly to the total days of antibiotic therapy and the appropriateness of this practice is often not clear |