Search

We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate suboptimal discharge antibiotic prescribing at a children's hospital and found that 27% of the prescriptions were suboptimal. Thirty-three percent of the patients who might have qualified for solid dosage forms received liquid dosages instead. Our findings suggest that opportunities exist for discharge antibiotic-stewardship and pill-swallowing programs., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

We developed an outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) stewardship program in a freestanding children's hospital to improve the appropriateness of OPAT prescribing. Introduction of the program enabled expert review of nearly 90% of the patients being prepared for discharge with OPAT and was associated with a 24% reduction in OPAT use.

We surveyed hospital epidemiologists at 28 Children's Hospital Association member hospitals regarding their infection prevention and control programs. We found substantial variability between children's hospitals in both the structure and the practice of these programs. Research and the development of evidence-based guidelines addressing infection prevention in pediatrics are needed.