Implementing antibiotic practice guidelines through computer-assisted decision support: clinical and financial outcomes
Article Abstract:
Computerized programs designed to assist doctors in making informed decisions regarding antibiotic prescriptions may improve the usefulness and reduce the cost of antibiotic treatments. Treatments may include preventative treatment before surgery or in response to a likely or documented infection. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of such a computer program at a 520-bed hospital over a seven-year period. The percentage of patients receiving antibiotic treatment in a timely fashion before surgery improved from 40% to 99.1% over the study period. The percentage of patients experiencing antibiotic drug interactions decreased from 26.9% to 18.8%. The percentage of patients taking antibiotics who died decreased from 3.65% to 2.65%. Even though the percentage of patients taking antibiotics increased from 31.8% to 53.1%, the contribution of antibiotics to the overall drug costs at this hospital decreased from 24.8% to 12.9%.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 1996
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The timing of prophylactic administration of antibiotics and the risk of surgical-wound infection
Article Abstract:
Giving surgical patients antibiotics within two hours before the operation - and no sooner - may reduce the incidence of wound infections. Prophylactic antibiotics - used to prevent infection rather than treat it - are usually given to surgical patients, but there are wide variations in the timing of antibiotic administration. Of 2,847 patients undergoing surgery, 369 received antibiotics two to 24 hours before surgery (early), 1,708 received antibiotics within two hours of surgery (preoperative), 282 received antibiotics within three hours after surgery (perioperative) and 488 received antibiotics more than three hours after surgery (postoperative). Only 0.6% of the preoperative group developed wound infections, compared with 3.8% of the early group, 1.4% of the perioperative group and 3.3% of the postoperative group.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1992
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A computer-assisted management program for antibiotics and other antiinfective agents
Article Abstract:
Computer-assisted management of antiinfective drug therapy in patients with infections may improve care and reduce the cost of treatment. LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah uses a computer program to assist physicians in choosing antibiotics. Researchers compared the treatment of 545 patients managed by the program to 1,136 patients treated before the program was instituted. The computer program helped physicians significantly reduce excess drug dosages, selection of inappropriate drugs, prescription of drugs to which the patient was allergic, and the costs of treatment.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1998
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