Beating antibiotic resistance - Brief Article

Healthcare Purchasing News, August, 1999 by Rick Dana Barlow

But there's one drawback. "These software programs are not widely available yet," he noted.

Still, Polk recommended facilities assemble multidisciplinary antimicrobial management teams to implement formulary restrictions and computer-assisted prescribing, and conduct direct interventions as top priorities.

Antimicrobial advice

For updates on antimicrobial issues and product listings, contact the National Antimicrobial Information Network by telephone at (800) 447-6349 or online at www.ace.orst.edu/info/nain.> The Network originally debuted in 1991 as the Antimicrobial Complaint System at Texas Tech University, Lubbock. It moved to Oregon State University, Corvallis, in 1995. It's funded by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.

A Network spokesperson said the network receives about 2,000 phone calls per month and about 6,000 hits on their Internet site.

88% Assessed antimicrobial use
82% Conducted an in-service education program
50% Maintain an antimicrobial management team
33% Practice guidelines
28% Formulary restrictions
22% Antibiotic stop orders


Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National
Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 1998.