Blog excerpt: The nuts and bolts of antibiotic stewardship programs

Editor’s note: This article appears in the August issue of Briefings on The Joint Commission.

In our lifetime, the creation and expanded use of antibiotics has allowed for the successful treatment of routine infections and safer surgical procedures. However, there has also been an overuse and, in some cases, misuse of antibiotics in both animals and people. This subsequently led to the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections, which have made the use of antibiotics increasingly less effective.

Last month, the White House convened a special forum on antibiotic stewardship in which more than 150 healthcare organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Joint Commission, and announced increased efforts to promote effective antibiotic stewardship within healthcare facilities.

Read the full blog post here.