Multidisciplinary antimicrobial utilization teams (AUT) have been proposed as an effective mechanism for improving antimicrobial use, but data on their efficacy remain limited. The researchers postulated that a multi-disciplinary AUT would improve antimicrobial use in a teaching hospital when compared to the standard of care (no AUT intervention). Design: Randomized-controlled intervention trial. Setting: A 953-bed urban teaching hospital. Patients: Patients admitted to internal medicine ward teams who were prescribed selected antimicrobial agents (piperacillin-tazobactam, levofloxacin, or vancomycin) during the 10month study period. Intervention: Eight internal medicine ward teams were randomized monthly to academic detailing by the AUT while 8 internal medicine ward teams were randomized indication-based prescription of broad spectrum antimicrobials. Measurements: Proportion of appropriate empiric, definitive, and end antimicrobial usage (antimicrobial use from the initiation of therapy until definitive therapy is prescribed).
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Proportion of Appropriateness of Antimicrobial Prescriptions in each group.
Timeframe: 10-month period