A new study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association indicates that efforts to curb inappropriate antibiotics prescribing are working. The project considered 173 million claims reflecting the care of subscribers <65 years of age who filled antibiotic prescriptions between 2010 and 2016, finding that prescriptions for antibiotics fell 22% for infants, 16% for children, and 6% for adults during that time frame. Patients in the South and Appalachia were more likely to fill prescriptions for antibiotics than those in New England and the West Coast region. Broad-spectrum antibiotics covering a wide range of bacteria saw the steepest decline. While this is a good start, more work lies ahead; the report also notes that approximately 20% of filled prescriptions were not indicated for the patient’s condition. (For a look at how urgent care providers can improve their own efforts to ensure responsible use of antibiotics, read Improving Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Common Clinical Conditions in Urgent Care in the JUCM archive.)
Published on
Your Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts Are Paying Off