title: Antimicrobial stewardship in long-term care facilities.
abstract: Although antimicrobial stewardship has been shown to improve microbiologic susceptibility patterns, decrease drug toxicities, and lower overall drug costs in the inpatient setting, there are few studies assessing programs in the long-term care (LTC) setting. Implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in LTC settings can be challenging as the LTC setting houses a unique population of frail and older adults with several preexisting conditions and multiple risk factors for colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms. Antimicrobial stewardship has an important role in decreasing inappropriate antibiotic use, encouraging targeted treatment of specific disease states, and limiting the untoward effects and costs of antimicrobials in this vulnerable population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. Electronic address: srhee9@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road Northeast, MS:A-31, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
authors.forename: Nimalie D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards*; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000517:prevention & control; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Antimicrobial stewardship; Elderly; Infection prevention; Long-term care