The influence of an infectious disease specialist on the antimicrobial budget of a community teaching hospital.
After an infectious disease specialist (IDS) was introduced into a community teaching hospital, the use of antibiotics in eight of the main hospital departments was considerably reduced. The average daily expenditure on antibiotics before the IDS was appointed (April-June 1984) was $5.6. This was reduced in the last quarter of the study (April-June 1986) to $1.6. A drastic change, from $7.6 to $2.0, was noted in the surgical departments, due mainly to a strict policy in the prophylactic use of antibiotics. The success of the IDS was achieved by a combination of educational programmes, co-operation of the microbiology laboratory and the hospital pharmacy as well as by limiting restrictions to an extent that maintained clinical efficacy and the goodwill of those concerned.
Raz
R
R
Infectious Disease Unit, Central Emek Hospital, Afula, Israel.
Sharir
R
R
Ron
A
A
Laks
N
N
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002017:Budgets; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics; D006280:Health Workforce; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000191:economics*; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000191:economics; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents