Antimicrobial Resistance

"Antimicrobial resistance costs money, livelihood, and lives, and threatens to undermine the effectiveness of health delivery programs. It has been described as a threat to global stability and national security. Antimicrobial use is the key driver of resistance. This selective pressure comes from a combination of overuse... and also from misuse."

-WHO Global Strategy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance, 2000.

Through a joint effort of Pharmaceutical & Nutrition Care, Infection Control and Epidemiology, and the Infectious Diseases Division of Internal Medicine, the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) at Nebraska Medicine has been active since August 2004. The mission of the ASP is to optimize the utilization of antimicrobial agents in order to realize improved patient outcomes, a positive effect on antimicrobial resistance, and an economic benefit.

Antimicrobial stewardship is defined as a rational, systematic approach to the use of antimicrobial agents in order to achieve optimal outcomes. This means using the right agent, at the correct dose, for the appropriate duration in order to cure or prevent infection, while minimizing toxicity and emergence of resistance.

Read about current events and subscribe to our UNMC Infectious Diseases blog.

Additional resources specific to antimicrobial stewardship programs at small/critical-access hospitals and long-term care facilities can be found at our companion site: asap.nebraskamed.com

Note: The resources on this website are intended for non-commercial educational and quality improvement purposes. Outside entities may utilize them for these purposes, but must acknowledge the source when they are used.