Abstract
The Antimicrobial Utilization and Economic Impact of Implementing Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Intensive Care Unit
Department of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, 1Research Center, Dr. Sulaiman Alhabib Medical Group, Riyadh 11643, 2Policy and Economic Centre, Ministry of National Guards Health Affairs, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia, 3Doctoral School of Applied Informatics and Applied Mathematics, Óbuda University, Budapest, Hungary, 4Research Center, Almoosa Health Group, Al-Ahsa, 5Department of Nursing, Princess Norah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia, 6School of Nursing, Wollongong University, Australia, 7Prince Sultan Military College, Dhahran 34313, 8Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, 9Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah Bint Ab dulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Correspondence Address:
Hayam Al Rasheed, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah Bint Ab dulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia, E-mail: haalrasheed@pnu.edu.sa
Critical care units in hospitals can serve as the barometers for the proper usage of antibiotics. We conducted this study to evaluate the antimicrobial utilization and economic outcomes of implementing an antimicrobial stewardship program in critical care areas. This is a non-randomized, historical controlled, comparative study that was conducted in two phases such as the retrospective phase, where historical data of the individuals were collected, and the prospective interventional phase, where we enrolled adult intensive care unit individuals who prescribed the following targeted antimicrobials like caspofungin, voriconazole, amphotericin-B lipid complex, fluconazole, conventional amphotericin-B, tigecycline, meropenem, imipenem/cilastatin, colistin, vancomycin, ampicillin/sulbactam, piperacillin/ tazobactam, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone. A total of 88 individuals were included as a historical control before antimicrobial stewardship program implementation, and 122 individuals were enrolled in the interventional phase. Additionally, 1517 antimicrobial vials were consumed before antimicrobial stewardship program, and 1194 antimicrobial vials were consumed after implementing antimicrobial stewardship program. The p-value for the direct cost between the two groups was <0.01, with a 77 % cost saving in the antimicrobial stewardship program group compared to the control group. Antimicrobial stewardship program implementation positively impacted antimicrobial utilization and economic outcomes. However, further studies are needed to confirm the study findings.
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