Community effort key to ensuring proper antibiotic stewardship

What is antibiotic stewardship?

Antibiotic stewardship is a coordinated program that promotes the appropriate use of antimicrobials including antibiotics. This community-based program involves patients and healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes, reduce microbial resistance, and decrease the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms.

In other words, antibiotic stewardship is the recognition that everyone plays a part in managing how antibiotics are used, and making sure that they are not abused or used unnecessarily. Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of these infections. Many more people die from other conditions that were complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection.

To help change these statistics, we must all practice antibiotic stewardship. For each of us, antibiotic stewardship means not requesting antibiotics for viral infections (like a runny nose or the flu). For healthcare providers, it means not prescribing antibiotics when they are not necessary. In order to prevent the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria, everyone has to be part of the solution.

When are antibiotics not necessary?

Antibiotics are not necessary, will not treat, and will not help shorten or improve symptoms for a cold or the flu. These symptoms include a runny nose, cough, sore throat, and headache. Antibiotics can help the bacterial infections that sometimes are similar, like strep throat or whooping cough. However, your healthcare provider will know when they are necessary or not.

What can we do to support antibiotic stewardship in the Flathead Valley?

North Valley Hospital, Kalispell Regional Healthcare and the Flathead City-County Health Department have taken on the cause by taking part in the “Get Smart” campaign, which informs healthcare providers, physicians, clinics, and patients about antibiotic stewardship in our community. From Nov. 14-20, our local health organizations are recognizing “Get Smart About Antibiotics Week.” Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is an annual one-week observance to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use. The observance is a key component of the Centers for Disease Control’s efforts to improve antibiotic stewardship in communities, in healthcare facilities and in agriculture. Join us in the campaign to increase awareness of antibiotic stewardship, so that we can all take part in preventing the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections.

Luckily, Montana is one of the states with the lowest rate (less than 50 percent) in the nation of unnecessarily prescribed antibiotics. Now is the time to be informed about when antibiotics are or are not effective, and recognize that your doctor may not prescribe antibiotics if they are not needed. Communication with your primary care provider is the best way to make sure you are informed about antibiotics and when they are necessary or not.

Allison Linville is the Community Relations Coordinator for North Valley Hospital.