Prescribing Practices
Audits provide important information on the quality of prescriptions. Ideally, they are designed as a quality improvement strategy and are carried out in a supportive environment. Audits should primarily contribute to reducing the use of antibiotic therapy and prolonged courses of antibiotics. Similarly, the use of an inappropriate route of administration and/or the unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics should be reduced.
The participation of a specialist an infectious diseases specialist or a hospital pharmacist helps ensure quality and optimise antibiotic therapy (e.g. support in assessing complex situations and in diagnosis, recommendations on antibiotic therapy, dosage, administration, switch from intravenous to oral, antibiotic de-escalation and duration of treatment).
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Establish a procedure for regular prescription audits with feedback to prescribers. Incorporate local guidelines, general principles and the principles of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis into the audits.
Ensure that the results are discussed with relevant stakeholders (e.g. heads of clinical departments). Also discuss specific improvement measures.
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Discuss the implementation and results of the prescription audits within the ASP team. Identify improvement measures.
Draw up a report, including a plan for follow-up, and incorporate this report into the annual ASP report.
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The audit results can be used to determine whether prescribing practices have improved. If no improvement is evident, local practices and the future development of the ASP should be discussed within the relevant committees.