Around 46% of urgent care center visits leading to antibiotic prescriptions actually are conditions that do not require an antibiotic treatment. Robust antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) may be necessary to curb this practice, according to a study conducted by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the CDC.
Mostly use of antibiotics occurs in outpatient facilities so urgent care centers play a considerably important role in combating this inappropriate prescribing.
Healthcare industry has seemingly made progress with better patient-provider communication and value-based care but, lack of antibiotic stewardship has resulted in drug resistance superbugs, the death of patients from untreatable infections and increasing care costs.
According to Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, CDC Director, antibiotics are lifesaving drugs and if we continue to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily, we are set to lose the most powerful tool we possess at the moment to fight life-threatening infections.
If we lose these antibiotics it would undermine the ability to treat patients who suffer from deadly infections, cancer, provide organ transplants and save victims of burns and trauma.
Research reveals that antibiotic stewardship programs can benefit in the settings of urgent care.