Value of Effective Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS)

What is AMS?

A multi-disciplinary approach designed to implement a coherent set of actions that promotes the responsible use of antimicrobials, in order to improve patient outcomes, safety and public health, 1-3 reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and hospital-acquired infections, and decrease healthcare costs 1

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Why is AMS needed?

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Measuring the clinical and economic benefits of AMS

Healthcare costs encompass clinical parameters, such as length of stay and mortality, as well as economic costs of antimicrobials 12

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AMS improves the quality of care and decreases costs, both of which lead to increased value 1

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Challenges to introducing AMS

  • Initial cost/investment 11
  • Difficulties in quantifying/qualifying the effectiveness of AMS and its financial evaluation 14
  • Integration and acceptance by hospital personnel 1
  • Lack of recognition of the value of AMS 1
  • There has been a lack of support at policy level; however, the World Health Organization is working via its National Action Plan to ensure governments take action 15,16
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