title: Antibiogram compliance in University HealthSystem Consortium participating hospitals with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The degree of compliance with antibiogram guidance among University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) hospitals was analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The UHC Pharmacy Council Pharmacy Practice Advancement Committee conducted a survey to evaluate hospital policies regarding the generation, reporting, and utilization of antibiograms among UHC hospitals. The survey was distributed via a UHC online survey tool to pharmacy directors at 237 UHC hospitals. Responses were collected from April 13 to May 14, 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 237 hospitals to which surveys were sent, 49 hospitals (21%) from 28 states submitted survey responses. Forty-eight hospitals reported that they routinely generated antibiograms, and 36 reported that they adopted all or most of the standards recommended by the 2009 guidelines on antibiograms published by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The compliance rates to the four key CLSI recommendations were as follows: 98% reported data at least annually, 89% eliminated duplicate isolates, 83% did not include surveillance isolates, and 64% required at least 30 isolates for each reported species. Thirty-eight hospitals had an antimicrobial stewardship program; 35 of them formally reviewed antibiograms and 19 implemented new programs based on the antibiogram data. In 16 hospitals, formulary changes were made as a consequence of antibiogram results. In 30 hospitals, pharmacists had significant involvement in compiling, reviewing, and reporting antibiograms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among respondents from 47 UHC hospitals, the compliance rates to four key CLSI recommendations for antibiograms ranged from 64% to 98%. Respondents from 30 hospitals reported significant involvement of pharmacists in compiling, reviewing, and reporting antibiograms.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Pharmacy Services, St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital, 17200 St. Luke’s Way, The Woodlands, TX 7738, USA. rxu@sleh.com
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Polk
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stencel
authors.forename: Denise K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guharoy
authors.forename: Raj W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Duggal
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiest
authors.forename: Kimberly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Putney
authors.forename: Nora B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Flint
mesh_terms: D003187:Compliance; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006785:Hospitals, University; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000592:standards*; D010595:Pharmacists; D024382:Professional Role