Clinical care standard indicators: antimicrobial stewardship

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has produced the Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard indicators to assist with local implementation of the Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard (ACSQHC 2014). The Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard aims to ensure that a patient with a bacterial infection receives optimal treatment with antibiotics. ‘Optimal treatment’ means treating patients with the right antibiotic to treat their condition, the right dose, by the right route, at the right time and for the right duration based on accurate assessment and timely review. Clinicians and health services can use the Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard and indicators to monitor the implementation of the quality statements, and support improvements as needed.

See also Clinical care standard indicators: Cataract Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Standardisation pending 26/09/2019

See also Clinical care standard indicators: acute coronary syndromes Health, Standard 12/09/2016

See also Clinical care standard indicators: acute stroke Health, Candidate 14/03/2017

Has been superseded by Clinical care standard indicators: antimicrobial stewardship 2020 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Standard 24/12/2020

See also Clinical care standard indicators: delirium Health, Standard 12/09/2016

See also Clinical care standard indicators: heavy menstrual bleeding Health, Standard 17/10/2018, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Candidate 04/09/2018

See also Clinical care standard indicators: hip fracture Health, Standard 12/09/2016, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Superseded 18/06/2018

See also Clinical care standard indicators: hip fracture 2018 Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Standard 15/05/2018

See also Clinical care standard indicators: osteoarthritis of the knee Health, Standard 02/08/2017

Documentation Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Life-threatening conditions Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Surgical prophylaxis Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Use of guidelines and clinical condition Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 1a-Median time to first dose of antibiotics for patients with suspected bacterial meningitis, or for actual or suspected severe sepsis Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 4a-Antibiotic prescribing in accordance with current and peer reviewed clinical guidelines Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 4b-Antibiotic-allergy mismatch in prescribing Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 6a-Documentation of reason for prescribing antibiotics Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 7a-Review of patients prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 9a-Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in accordance with guidelines Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 9b-Timely administration of prophylactic antibiotics prior to surgery Health, Standard 12/09/2016

Antimicrobial stewardship: 9c-Cessation of prophylactic antibiotics following surgery Health, Standard 12/09/2016

The Indicator specification: antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard has been developed to assist with local implementation of the Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard (ACSQHC 2014). The indicators are intended for local use by hospitals and Local Hospital Networks (LHNs). There are no benchmarks set for any of the indicators in the Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard indicators set.

Hospitals using Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard indicators can compare their results against themselves during a previous period, amongst other hospitals in the LHN, or other external hospitals with whom they have made such arrangements. Hospitals may also look to the literature for the experiences of other hospitals.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has produced the Antimicrobial stewardship clinical care standard (ACSQHC 2014) to support optimal treatment for people with bacterial infection requiring antibiotics and/ or preventing bacterial infection, and is based on the best evidence available at the time of development. Health care professionals are advised to use clinical discretion and consideration of the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or their carer or guardian when applying information contained within the clinical care standard. Consumers should use the information in the clinical care standard as a guide to inform discussions with their health care professional about the applicability of the standard to their individual condition.

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care