Abstract

Antimicrobial drug shortages continue to increase, with few new therapeutic options available. Nationally, proposals have been offered to alleviate drug shortages; however, these recommendations are unlikely to effect change in the near future. Thus, antimicrobial stewardship leaders in acute care hospitals must develop a prospective management strategy to lessen the impact of these shortages on patient care. Herein, we describe several resources available to aid professionals in antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare epidemiology to manage drug shortages. An effective approach should include prospectively tracking shortages and maximizing inventory by appropriately managing usage. Several tenets should underpin this management. Alternative agents should be rationally chosen before the inventory of the primary agent has reached zero, ethical considerations should be taken into account, and timely notification and communication with key stakeholders should occur throughout the prescribing and dispensing process.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Griffith MM, Patel JA, Sutton SH, Bolon MK, Esterly JS, Gross AE, Postelnick MJ, Zembower TR, Scheetz MH

Institution

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA.

Source

Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America 33:7 2012 Jul pg 745-52

MeSH

Anti-Infective Agents
Humans
Pharmacy Service, Hospital

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22669238