Impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Pharmacist During Microbiology Rounds

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the impact of the participation of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) pharmacist in microbiology rounds at our institution.

Methods: This single-center retrospective descriptive study included inpatient and ambulatory adults (≥18 years) with a susceptibility request reviewed during microbiology rounds between October 2018 and March 2019. In October 2018, multidisciplinary telephone microbiology rounds were initiated with the medical directors of the clinical microbiology laboratory and ASP pharmacist to review susceptibility requests. Numbers and types of interventions made by an ASP pharmacist and potential benefits were recorded and analyzed.

Results: Sixty-seven susceptibility requests were reviewed by an ASP pharmacist, of which 83.6% were inpatient. An ASP pharmacist completed chart reviews for 92.5% of requests and contacted the requester or primary team 74.6% of the time. About half (47.8%) of susceptibility requests were approved, and only 65.2% of requests from an infectious diseases provider were approved (P = .039). The most frequent potential benefits of the intervention included preventing unnecessary susceptibility testing (47.8%), improving clinician understanding (40.3%), and preventing treatment of a culture result deemed as a contaminant (19.4%).

Conclusions: ASP pharmacists are uniquely accessible and able to assist with preventing unnecessary susceptibility testing, optimizing antimicrobial therapy, and providing education to other health care professionals.

Keywords: Antimicrobial stewardship; Microbiology; Pharmacist.