Agencies
Services
Antimicrobial Stewardship in Outpatient Settings
Approximately 60% of U.S. antibiotic expenditures are related to care received in outpatient settings. Approximately half of outpatient antibiotic prescribing might be inappropriate, including antibiotic selection, dosing, or duration, in addition to unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. At least 28% of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions in the United States are unnecessary. It is essential for health care professionals in outpatient settings to adopt antimicrobial stewardship practices to combat this issue, ensuring that antibiotics are prescribed judiciously and only when necessary.
The following IDPH-funded antimicrobial stewardship activities support outpatient settings across Illinois:
- Collaboration to Harmonize Antimicrobial Registry Measures (CHARM)
- Precious Drugs and Scary Bugs Campaign
- Northwestern ADSP Guidance Documents for Common Infections
- Implementation of Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship
Resources
- Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit for Outpatient Providers
- Public Commitment Poster
- Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship
- Clinician Checklist for Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship
- Antibiotic Stewardship Resource Bundle
- Treatment Recommendations for Common Illnesses and Penicillin Allergy
