Survey identifies opportunities to improve appropriate use of antibiotics in Australian hospitals
Martina
Administrator admin
In 2017, around one-third of prescriptions for antimicrobials in participating Australian hospitals were assessed as not compliant with treatment guidelines. Almost 1 in 4 antimicrobial prescriptions were assessed as inappropriate.
The findings come in a report, Antimicrobial prescribing practice in Australian hospitals: Results of the 2017 Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey, released today by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission).
The Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (Hospital NAPS) is an annual survey of antimicrobial prescribing in Australian hospitals conducted by the National Centre for Antimicrobial Stewardship (NCAS), as part of the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) Surveillance System. The NAPS was developed to provide a detailed assessment of antimicrobial prescribing practices and to support national comparisons.
Resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobials is recognised worldwide as a critical threat to public health. This report coincides with the global campaign for Antibiotic Awareness Week (12-18 November), endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which encourages everyone to play a role in tackling antibiotic resistance.