Implementation of an antibiotic stewardship quality improvement initiative in a community hospital for infants born at ≥35 weeks

Eduardo M Perez; Molly Taylor; Kristin Swanson; Jimmy D Laferney

doi:10.1080/08998280.2019.1700725

Implementation of an antibiotic stewardship quality improvement initiative in a community hospital for infants born at ≥35 weeks

Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2019 Dec 23;33(2):188-190. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2019.1700725. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Authors

Eduardo M Perez^{1

2}, Molly Taylor¹, Kristin Swanson¹, Jimmy D Laferney³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor Scott White Medical Center - FriscoFriscoTexas.
² Pediatrix Medical Group of TexasDallasTexas.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - FriscoFriscoTexas.

Abstract

We present our experience in the implementation of an antibiotic stewardship quality improvement initiative directed toward infants born at ≥35 weeks using as a primary tool the Kaiser Permanente early onset sepsis calculator (KP-EOS-C) at the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Frisco. After the approval and support of the medical staff and administration, we proceeded to launch an extensive educational program for all women's services nursing staff on how to utilize this calculator to communicate results to the pediatricians on staff. After implementation, we saw a 54% reduction in the number of infants undergoing sepsis workup evaluations and a 51% reduction in the number of infants receiving antibiotics (P < 0.001). We conclude that the implementation of this type of initiative may be feasible and worthwhile in other similar community hospitals, provided there is buy-in by physicians and administration as well as an extensive educational program to the hospital medical and nursing staff.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Kaiser Permanente early onset sepsis calculator; neonatal intensive care unit; newborn nursery; quality improvement; sepsis workup.