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Spencer HJJ, Katz S, Staub M, Audet CM, Banerjee R. A qualitative assessment of nonclinical drivers of pediatric outpatient antibiotic prescribing: The importance of continuity. ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP & HEALTHCARE EPIDEMIOLOGY : ASHE 2022; 2:e107. [PMID: 36483400 PMCID: PMC9726583 DOI: 10.1017/ash.2022.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Antibiotic overuse is common in outpatient pediatrics and varies across clinical setting and clinician type. We sought to identify social, behavioral, and environmental drivers of outpatient antibiotic prescribing for pediatric patients. METHODS We conducted semistructured interviews with physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) across diverse outpatient settings including pediatric primary, urgent, and retail care. We used the grounded theory constant comparative method and a thematic approach to analysis. We developed a conceptual model, building on domains of continuity to map common themes and their relationships within the healthcare system. RESULTS We interviewed 55 physicians and APPs. Clinicians across all settings prioritized provision of guideline-concordant care but implemented these guidelines with varying degrees of success. The provision of guideline-concordant care was influenced by the patient-clinician relationship and patient or parent expectations (relational continuity); the clinician's access to patient clinical history (informational continuity); and the consistency of care delivered (management continuity). No difference in described themes was determined by setting or clinician type; however, clinicians in primary care described having more reliable relational and informational continuity. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians described the absence of long-term relationships (relational continuity) and lack of availability of prior clinical history (informational continuity) as factors that may influence outpatient antibiotic prescribing. Guideline-concordant outpatient antibiotic prescribing was facilitated by consistent practice across settings (management continuity) and the presence of relational and informational continuity, which are common only in primary care. Management continuity may be more modifiable than informational and relational continuity and thus a focus for outpatient stewardship programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary J. J. Spencer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sophie Katz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Milner Staub
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Carolyn M. Audet
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Ritu Banerjee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Huibers L, Vestergaard CH, Keizer E, Bech BH, Bro F, Christensen MB. Variation of GP antibiotic prescribing tendency for contacts with out-of-hours primary care in Denmark - a cross-sectional register-based study. Scand J Prim Health Care 2022; 40:227-236. [PMID: 35703579 PMCID: PMC9397449 DOI: 10.1080/02813432.2022.2073981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study variation in antibiotic prescribing rates among general practitioners (GP) in out-of-hours (OOH) primary care and to explore GP characteristics associated with these rates. DESIGN Population-based observational registry study using routine data from the OOH primary care registration system on patient contacts and antibiotic prescriptions combined with national register data. SETTING OOH primary care of the Central Denmark Region. SUBJECTS All patient contacts in 2014-2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES GPs' tendency to prescribe antibiotics. Excess variation (not attributable to chance). RESULTS We included 794,220 clinic consultations (16.1% with antibiotics prescription), 281,141 home visits (11.6% antibiotics), and 1,583,919 telephone consultations (5.8% antibiotics). The excess variation in the tendency to prescribe antibiotics was 1.56 for clinic consultations, 1.64 for telephone consultations, and 1.58 for home visits. Some GP characteristics were significantly correlated with a higher tendency to prescribe antibiotics, including 'activity level' (i.e. number of patients seen in the past hour) for clinic and telephone consultations, 'familiarity with OOH care' (i.e. number of OOH shifts in the past 180 days), male sex, and younger age for home visits. Overall, GP characteristics explained little of the antibiotic prescribing variation seen among GPs (Pseudo r2: 0.008-0.025). CONCLUSION Some variation in the GPs' tendency to prescribe antibiotics was found for OOH primary care contacts. Available GP characteristics, such as GPs' activity level and familiarity with OOH care, explained only small parts of this variation. Future research should focus on identifying factors that can explain this variation, as this knowledge could be used for designing interventions.KEY POINTSCurrent awareness:Antibiotic prescribing rates seem to be higher in out-of-hours than in daytime primary care.Most important results:Antibiotic prescribing rates varied significantly among general practitioners after adjustment for contact- and patient-characteristics.This variation remained even after accounting for variation attributable to chance.General practitioners' activity level and familiarity with out-of-hours care were positively associated with their tendency to prescribe antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Huibers
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- CONTACT Linda Huibers Research Unit for General Practice, Bartholins Alle 2, Aarhus8000, Denmark
| | | | - Ellen Keizer
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Bodil Hammer Bech
- Research Unit for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Flemming Bro
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of General Practice, Institute for Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morten Bondo Christensen
- Research Unit for General Practice, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of General Practice, Institute for Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Choucair J, Haddad E, Saliba G, Chehata N, Makhoul J. Lack of regulation over antibiotic prescription and dispensation: A prospective cohort in a community setting. J Infect Prev 2021; 22:289-292. [PMID: 34880952 DOI: 10.1177/17571774211033347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The emergence of bacterial resistance caused health authorities to attempt to implement strict regulations for rational antibiotic prescription. However, supervision is often neglected in low- and middle-income countries, leading to inappropriate administration of antibiotics. The objective of our study is to highlight the lack of monitoring in the community setting of a middle-income country. Material and methods We asked 68 patients presenting to an infectious diseases consultation office to report the antibiotic courses they had taken in the three months preceding their visit. We assessed for treatment indication, molecule choice, dosing and duration, as well as microbial cultures, demographics and specialty of the prescriber. Results Among the 68 patients included in our study, we counted a total of 95 outpatient antibiotic courses, mostly composed of quinolones (36%), followed by amoxicillin-clavulanate (21%). The prescriber was most commonly a primary care physician, but we reported several cases of auto-medication and dispensation of antibiotics by pharmacists. Only 30% of cases had true indications for antibiotics. Conclusion In sum, our results indicate an evident lack of regulation over the administration of antibiotics. This easy accessibility needs to be promptly addressed as we run the risk of inevitable bacterial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Choucair
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Elie Haddad
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Gebrael Saliba
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nabil Chehata
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Jennifer Makhoul
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Saint Joseph University, Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, Lebanon
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The Utilization and Costs of Grade D USPSTF Services in Medicare, 2007-2016. J Gen Intern Med 2021; 36:3711-3718. [PMID: 33852141 PMCID: PMC8045442 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-06784-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low-value care, or patient care that offers no net benefit in specific clinical scenarios, is costly and often associated with patient harm. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Grade D recommendations represent one of the most scientifically sound and frequently delivered groups of low-value services, but a more contemporary measurement of the utilization and spending for Grade D services beyond the small number of previously studied measures is needed. OBJECTIVE To estimate utilization and costs of seven USPSTF Grade D services among US Medicare beneficiaries. DESIGN We conducted a cross-sectional study of data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) from 2007 to 2016 to identify instances of Grade D services. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS NAMCS is a nationally representative survey of US ambulatory visits at non-federal and non-hospital-based offices that uses a multistage probability sampling design. We included all visits by Medicare enrollees, which included traditional fee-for-service, Medicare Advantage, supplemental coverage, and dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid enrollees. MAIN MEASURES We measured annual utilization of seven Grade D services among adult Medicare patients, using inclusion and exclusion criteria from prior studies and the USPSTF recommendations. We calculated annual costs by multiplying annual utilization counts by mean per-unit costs of services using publicly available sources. KEY RESULTS During the study period, we identified 95,121 unweighted Medicare patient visits, representing approximately 2.4 billion visits. Each year, these seven Grade D services were utilized 31.1 million times for Medicare beneficiaries and cost $477,891,886. Three services-screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria, vitamin D supplements for fracture prevention, and colorectal cancer screening for adults over 85 years-comprised $322,382,772, or two-thirds of the annual costs of the Grade D services measured in this study. CONCLUSIONS US Medicare beneficiaries frequently received a group of rigorously defined and costly low-value preventive services. Spending on low-value preventive care concentrated among a small subset of measures, representing important opportunities to safely lower US health care spending while improving the quality of care.
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Burrowes SAB, Barlam TF, Skinner A, Berger R, Ni P, Drainoni ML. Provider views on rapid diagnostic tests and antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections: A mixed methods study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260598. [PMID: 34843599 PMCID: PMC8629209 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are often inappropriately treated with antibiotics. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been developed with the aim of improving antibiotic prescribing but uptake remains low. The aim of this study was to examine provider knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding RDT use and their relationship to antibiotic prescribing decisions across multiple clinical departments in an urban safety-net hospital. METHODS We conducted a mixed methods sequential explanatory study. Providers with prescribing authority (attending physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants) who had at least 20 RTI encounters from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018. Eighty-five providers completed surveys and 16 participated in interviews. We conducted electronic surveys via RedCap from April to July 2019, followed by semi-structured individual interviews from October to December 2019, to ascertain knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to RDT use and antibiotic prescribing. RESULTS Survey findings indicated that providers felt knowledgeable about antibiotic prescribing guidelines. They reported high familiarity with the rapid streptococcus and rapid influenza tests. Familiarity with comprehensive respiratory panel PCR (RPP-respiratory panel PCR) and procalcitonin differed by clinical department. Qualitative interviews identified four main themes: providers trust their clinical judgment more than rapid test results; patient-provider relationships play an important role in prescribing decisions; there is patient demand for antibiotics and providers employ different strategies to address the demand and providers do not believe RDTs are implemented with sufficient education or evidence for clinical practice. CONCLUSION Prescribers are knowledgeable about prescribing guidelines but often rely on clinical judgement to make final decisions. The utility of RDTs is specific to the type of RDT and the clinical department. Given the low familiarity and clinical utility of RPP and procalcitonin, providers may require additional education and these tests may need to be implemented differently based on clinical department.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana A. B. Burrowes
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Health Law Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tamar F. Barlam
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Alexandra Skinner
- Department of Health Law Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Berger
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Pengsheng Ni
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC) Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Mari-Lynn Drainoni
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Department of Health Law Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Evans Center for Implementation and Improvement Sciences (CIIS), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
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Guo H, Hildon ZJL, Loh VWK, Sundram M, Ibrahim MAB, Tang WE, Chow A. Exploring antibiotic prescribing in public and private primary care settings in Singapore: a qualitative analysis informing theory and evidence-based planning for value-driven intervention design. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2021; 22:205. [PMID: 34654368 PMCID: PMC8519324 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-021-01556-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Singapore's healthcare system presents an ideal context to learn from diverse public and private operational models and funding systems. AIM To explore processes underpinning decision-making for antibiotic prescribing, by considering doctors' experiences in different primary care settings. METHODS Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 doctors working in publicly funded primary care clinics (polyclinics) and 13 general practitioners (GP) working in private practices (solo, small and large). Data were analysed using applied thematic analysis following realist principles, synthesised into a theoretical model, informing solutions to appropriate antibiotic prescribing. RESULTS Given Singapore's lack of national guidelines for antibiotic prescribing in primary care, practices are currently non-standardised. Themes contributing to optimal prescribing related first and foremost to personal valuing of reduction in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which was enabled further by organisational culture creating and sustaining such values, and if patients were convinced of these too. Building trusting patient-doctor relationships, supported by reasonable patient loads among other factors were consistently observed to allow shared decision-making enabling optimal prescribing. Transparency and applying data to inform practice was a minority theme, nevertheless underpinning all levels of optimal care delivery. These themes are synthesised into the VALUE model proposed for guiding interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices. These should aim to reinforce intrapersonal Values consistent with prioritising AMR reduction, and Aligning organisational culture to these by leveraging standardised guidelines and interpersonal intervention tools. Such interventions should account for the wider systemic constraints experienced in publicly funded high patient turnover institutions, or private clinics with transactional models of care. Thus, ultimately a focus on Liaison between patient and doctor is crucial. For instance, building in adequate consultation time and props as discussion aids, or quick turnover communication tools in time-constrained settings. Message consistency will ultimately improve trust, helping to enable shared decision-making. Lastly, Use of monitoring data to track and Evaluate antibiotic prescribing using meaningful indicators, that account for the role of shared decision-making can also be leveraged for change. CONCLUSIONS These VALUE dimensions are recommended as potentially transferable to diverse contexts, and the model as implementation tool to be tested empirically and updated accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Guo
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Office of Clinical Epidemiology, Analytics, and Knowledge, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health Systems, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zoe Jane-Lara Hildon
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health Systems, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Victor Weng Keong Loh
- Division of Family Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Meena Sundram
- National University Polyclinics, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Muhamad Alif Bin Ibrahim
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Office of Clinical Epidemiology, Analytics, and Knowledge, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- School of Social and Health Sciences, James Cook University, Singapore Campus, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wern Ee Tang
- National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Angela Chow
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Office of Clinical Epidemiology, Analytics, and Knowledge, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health Systems, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Shi Z, Barnett ML, Jena AB, Ray KN, Fox KP, Mehrotra A. Association of a Clinician's Antibiotic-Prescribing Rate With Patients' Future Likelihood of Seeking Care and Receipt of Antibiotics. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:e1672-e1679. [PMID: 32777032 PMCID: PMC8492129 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background One underexplored driver of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory illnesses (ARI) is patients’ prior care experiences. When patients receive antibiotics for an ARI, patients may attribute their clinical improvement to the antibiotics, regardless of their true benefit. These experiences, and experiences of family members, may drive whether patients seek care or request antibiotics for subsequent ARIs. Methods Using encounter data from a national United States insurer, we identified patients <65 years old with an index ARI urgent care center (UCC) visit. We categorized clinicians within each UCC into quartiles based on their ARI antibiotic prescribing rate. Exploiting the quasi-random assignment of patients to a clinician within an UCC, we examined the association between the clinician’s antibiotic prescribing rate to the patients’ and their spouses’ rates of ARI antibiotic receipt in the subsequent year. Results Across 232,256 visits at 736 UCCs, ARI antibiotic prescribing rates were 42.1% and 80.2% in the lowest and highest quartile of clinicians, respectively. Patient characteristics were similar across the four quartiles. In the year after the index ARI visit, patients seen by the highest-prescribing clinicians received more ARI antibiotics (+3.0 fills/100 patients (a 14.6% difference), 95% CI 2.2–3.8, P < 0.001,) versus those seen by the lowest-prescribing clinicians. The increase in antibiotics was also observed among the patients’ spouses. The increase in patient ARI antibiotic prescriptions was largely driven by an increased number of ARI visits (+5.6 ARI visits/100 patients, 95% CI 3.6–7.7, P < 0.001), rather than a higher antibiotic prescribing rate during those subsequent ARI visits. Conclusions Receipt of antibiotics for an ARI increases the likelihood that patients and their spouses will receive antibiotics for future ARIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Shi
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael L Barnett
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anupam B Jena
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristin N Ray
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kathe P Fox
- Department of Analytics and Behavior Change, Aetna/CVS Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ateev Mehrotra
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Mafi JN, Reid RO, Baseman LH, Hickey S, Totten M, Agniel D, Fendrick AM, Sarkisian C, Damberg CL. Trends in Low-Value Health Service Use and Spending in the US Medicare Fee-for-Service Program, 2014-2018. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2037328. [PMID: 33591365 PMCID: PMC7887655 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.37328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Low-value care, defined as care offering no net benefit in specific clinical scenarios, is associated with harmful outcomes in patients and wasteful spending. Despite a national education campaign and increasing attention on reducing health care waste, recent trends in low-value care delivery remain unknown. OBJECTIVE To assess national trends in low-value care use and spending. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this cross-sectional study, analyses of low-value care use and spending from 2014 to 2018 were conducted using 100% Medicare fee-for-service enrollment and claims data. Included individuals were aged 65 years or older and continuously enrolled in Medicare parts A, B, and D during each measurement year and the previous year. Data were analyzed from September 2019 through December 2020. EXPOSURE Being enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare for a period of time, in years. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The Milliman MedInsight Health Waste Calculator was used to assess 32 claims-based measures of low-value care associated with Choosing Wisely recommendations and other professional guidelines. The calculator designates services as wasteful, likely wasteful, or not wasteful based on an absence of indication of appropriate use in the claims history; calculator-designated wasteful services were defined as low-value care. Spending was calculated as claim-line level (ie, spending on the low-value service) and claim level (ie, spending on the low-value service plus associated services), adjusting for inflation. RESULTS Among 21 045 759 individuals with fee-for-service Medicare (mean [SD] age, 77.4 [7.9] years; 12 515 915 [59.5%] women), the percentage receiving any of 32 low-value services decreased from 36.3% (95% CI, 36.3%-36.4%) to 33.6% (95% CI, 33.6%-33.6%) from 2014 to 2018. Uses of low-value services per 1000 individuals decreased from 677.8 (95% CI, 676.2-679.5) to 632.7 (95% CI, 632.6-632.8) from 2014 to 2018. Three services comprised approximately two-thirds of uses among 32 low-value services per 1000 individuals: preoperative laboratory testing decreased from 213.8 (95% CI, 213.4-214.2) to 166.2 (95% CI, 166.2-166.2), while opioids for back pain increased from 154.4 (95% CI, 153.6-155.2) to 182.1 (95% CI, 182.1-182.1) and antibiotics for upper respiratory infections increased from 75.0 (95% CI, 75.0-75.1) to 82 (95% CI, 82.0-82.0). Spending per 1000 individuals on low-value care also decreased, from $52 765.5 (95% CI, $51 952.3-$53 578.6) to $46 921.7 (95% CI, $46 593.7-$47 249.7) at the claim-line level and from $160 070.4 (95% CI, $158 999.8-$161 141.0) to $144 741.1 (95% CI, $144 287.5-$145 194.7) at the claim level. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This cross-sectional study found that among individuals with fee-for-service Medicare receiving any of 32 measured services, low-value care use and spending decreased marginally from 2014 to 2018, despite a national education campaign in collaboration with clinician specialty societies and increased attention on low-value care. While most use of low-value care came from 3 services, 1 of these was opioid prescriptions, which increased over time despite the harms associated with their use. These findings may represent several opportunities to prevent patient harm and lower spending.
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Affiliation(s)
- John N. Mafi
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Rachel O. Reid
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Scot Hickey
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Mark Totten
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | - Denis Agniel
- RAND Health Care, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | - A. Mark Fendrick
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Catherine Sarkisian
- Division of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California
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Blaser MJ, Melby MK, Lock M, Nichter M. Accounting for variation in and overuse of antibiotics among humans. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000163. [PMID: 33410142 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, antibiotic use is increasing, but many infections against which antibiotics are applied are not even caused by bacteria. Over-the-counter and internet sales preclude physician oversight. Regional differences, between and within countries highlight many potential factors influencing antibiotic use. Taking a systems perspective that considers pharmaceutical commodity chains, we examine antibiotic overuse from the vantage point of both sides of the therapeutic relationship. We examine patterns and expectations of practitioners and patients, institutional policies and pressures, the business strategies of pharmaceutical companies and distributors, and cultural drivers of variation. Solutions to improve antibiotic stewardship include practitioners taking greater responsibility for their antibiotic prescribing, increasing the role of caregivers as diagnosticians rather than medicine providers, improving their communication to patients about antibiotic treatment consequences, lessening the economic influences on prescribing, and identifying antibiotic alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Blaser
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Melissa K Melby
- Department of Anthropology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Margaret Lock
- Department of Social Studies of Medicine and Department of Anthropology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mark Nichter
- School of Anthropology, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, Department of Family Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Abdoler EA, O'Brien BC, Schwartz BS. Following the Script: An Exploratory Study of the Therapeutic Reasoning Underlying Physicians' Choice of Antimicrobial Therapy. ACADEMIC MEDICINE : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES 2020; 95:1238-1247. [PMID: 32379146 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0000000000003498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Physicians frequently prescribe antimicrobials inappropriately, leading to an increase in the rate of resistance, which in turn, harms patients. To better understand why physicians prescribe specific antimicrobials in particular cases, the authors investigated the decision-making processes underlying physicians' antimicrobial choice (i.e., their antimicrobial reasoning). METHOD Applying a clinical reasoning framework, the authors conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of attending physicians in infectious diseases and hospital medicine at 2 hospitals in fall 2018. An interviewer asked participants to describe how they would choose which antimicrobial to prescribe in 3 clinical vignettes, to recall how they chose an antimicrobial in an example from their own practice, and to indicate their steps in antimicrobial selection generally. The authors identified steps and factors in antimicrobial reasoning through thematic analysis of interviews and the note cards that participants used to delineate their general antimicrobial reasoning processes. RESULTS Sixteen participants described 3 steps in the antimicrobial reasoning process: naming the syndrome, delineating pathogens, and selecting the antimicrobial (therapy script). They mentioned 25 different factors in their reasoning processes, which the authors grouped into 4 areas: preexisting patient characteristics, current case features, provider and health care system factors, and treatment principles. Participants used antimicrobial (therapy) scripts that included 14 different drug characteristics. The authors present the steps and factors in a framework for antimicrobial reasoning. CONCLUSIONS Through this exploratory study, the authors identified steps and factors involved in physicians' antimicrobial reasoning process, as well as the content of their antimicrobial (therapy) scripts. They organized all these findings into a framework for antimicrobial decision making. This information may ultimately be adapted into educational tools to improve antimicrobial prescribing across the spectrum of learners and practicing physicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Abdoler
- E.A. Abdoler is assistant professor, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0938-0527
| | - Bridget C O'Brien
- B.C. O'Brien is associate professor, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9591-5243
| | - Brian S Schwartz
- B.S. Schwartz is professor, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2852-6808
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Patel A, Pfoh ER, Misra Hebert AD, Chaitoff A, Shapiro A, Gupta N, Rothberg MB. Attitudes of High Versus Low Antibiotic Prescribers in the Management of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: a Mixed Methods Study. J Gen Intern Med 2020; 35:1182-1188. [PMID: 31630364 PMCID: PMC7174444 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-019-05433-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Inappropriate antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) is an ongoing problem in primary care. There is extreme variation in the prescribing practices of individual physicians, which cannot be explained by clinical factors. OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with high and low prescriber status for management of URTIs in primary care practice. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS Exploratory sequential mixed-methods design including interviews with primary care physicians in a large health system followed by a survey. Twenty-nine physicians participated in the qualitative interviews. Interviews were followed by a survey in which 109 physicians participated. MAIN MEASURES Qualitative interviews were used to obtain perspectives of high and low prescribers on factors that influenced their decision making in the management of URTIs. A quantitative survey was created based on qualitative interviews and responses compared to actual prescribing rates. An assessment of self-prescribing pattern relative to their peers was also conducted. RESULTS Qualitative interviews identified themes such as clinical factors (patient characteristics, symptom duration, and severity), nonclinical factors (physician-patient relationship, concern for patient satisfaction, preference and expectation, time pressure), desire to follow evidence-based medicine, and concern for adverse effects to influence prescribing. In the survey, reported concern regarding antibiotic side effects and the desire to practice evidence-based medicine were associated with lower prescribing rates whereas reported concern for patient satisfaction and patient demand were associated with high prescribing rates. High prescribers were generally unaware of their high prescribing status. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Physicians report that nonclinical factors frequently influence their decision to prescribe antibiotics for URTI. Physician concerns regarding antibiotic side effects and patient satisfaction are important factors in the decision-making process. Changes in the health system addressing both physicians and patients may be necessary to attain desired prescribing levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Patel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Pfoh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Anita D Misra Hebert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.,Quantitative Health Services, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alexander Chaitoff
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Aryeh Shapiro
- University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, Ravenna, OH, USA
| | - Niyati Gupta
- Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Michael B Rothberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. .,Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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12
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Xie Z, Gonzalez LE, Ferreira CR, Vorsilak A, Frabutt D, Sobreira TJP, Pugia M, Cooks RG. Multiple Reaction Monitoring Profiling (MRM-Profiling) of Lipids To Distinguish Strain-Level Differences in Microbial Resistance in Escherichia coli. Anal Chem 2019; 91:11349-11354. [PMID: 31398004 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b02465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoer Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - L. Edwin Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Christina R. Ferreira
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Anna Vorsilak
- Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
| | - Dylan Frabutt
- Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
| | - Tiago J. P. Sobreira
- Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Michael Pugia
- Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
| | - R. Graham Cooks
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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13
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Shi Z, Mehrotra A, Gidengil CA, Poon SJ, Uscher-Pines L, Ray KN. Quality Of Care For Acute Respiratory Infections During Direct-To-Consumer Telemedicine Visits For Adults. Health Aff (Millwood) 2019; 37:2014-2023. [PMID: 30633682 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In direct-to-consumer telemedicine, physicians treat patients through real-time audiovisual conferencing for common conditions such as acute respiratory infections. Early studies had mixed findings on the quality of care provided during direct-to-consumer telemedicine and were limited by small sample sizes and narrow geographic scopes. Using claims data for 2015-16 from a large national commercial insurer, we examined the quality of antibiotic management in adults with acute respiratory infection diagnoses at 38,839 direct-to-consumer telemedicine visits, compared to the quality at 942,613 matched primary care visits and 186,016 matched urgent care visits. In the matched analyses, we found clinically similar rates of antibiotic use, broad-spectrum antibiotic use, and guideline-concordant antibiotic management. However, direct-to-consumer telemedicine visits had less appropriate streptococcal testing and a higher frequency of follow-up visits. These results suggest specific opportunities for improvement in direct-to-consumer telemedicine quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Shi
- Zhuo Shi is a research assistant in the Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ateev Mehrotra
- Ateev Mehrotra is an associate professor in the Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School
| | - Courtney A Gidengil
- Courtney A. Gidengil is an associate natural scientist at RAND Health in Boston
| | - Sabrina J Poon
- Sabrina J. Poon is an emergency medicine physician at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Lori Uscher-Pines
- Lori Uscher-Pines is an associate policy researcher at the RAND Corporation in Arlington, Virginia
| | - Kristin N Ray
- Kristin N. Ray ( ) is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in Pennsylvania
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14
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Ray KN, Shi Z, Gidengil CA, Poon SJ, Uscher-Pines L, Mehrotra A. Antibiotic Prescribing During Pediatric Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine Visits. Pediatrics 2019; 143:e20182491. [PMID: 30962253 PMCID: PMC6565339 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2018-2491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Use of commercial direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine outside of the pediatric medical home is increasing among children, and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the most commonly diagnosed condition at DTC telemedicine visits. Our objective was to compare the quality of antibiotic prescribing for ARIs among children across 3 settings: DTC telemedicine, urgent care, and the primary care provider (PCP) office. METHODS In a retrospective cohort study using 2015-2016 claims data from a large national commercial health plan, we identified ARI visits by children (0-17 years old), excluding visits with comorbidities that could affect antibiotic decisions. Visits were matched on age, sex, chronic medical complexity, state, rurality, health plan type, and ARI diagnosis category. Within the matched sample, we compared the percentage of ARI visits with any antibiotic prescribing and the percentage of ARI visits with guideline-concordant antibiotic management. RESULTS There were 4604 DTC telemedicine, 38 408 urgent care, and 485 201 PCP visits for ARIs in the matched sample. Antibiotic prescribing was higher for DTC telemedicine visits than for other settings (52% of DTC telemedicine visits versus 42% urgent care and 31% PCP visits; P < .001 for both comparisons). Guideline-concordant antibiotic management was lower at DTC telemedicine visits than at other settings (59% of DTC telemedicine visits versus 67% urgent care and 78% PCP visits; P < .001 for both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS At DTC telemedicine visits, children with ARIs were more likely to receive antibiotics and less likely to receive guideline-concordant antibiotic management compared to children at PCP visits and urgent care visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin N Ray
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
| | - Zhuo Shi
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Courtney A Gidengil
- RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sabrina J Poon
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ateev Mehrotra
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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15
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The Role of Clinics in Determining Older Recent Immigrants' Use of Health Services. J Immigr Minor Health 2019; 20:1468-1475. [PMID: 29383619 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-018-0693-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Immigrants are ineligible for federally-funded Medicaid in the U.S. until at least 5 years after arrival. There is little information on where they receive care in light of this restriction. Using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition, this study examines whether the setting in which older recent immigrants receive care (i.e., health clinic, emergency room or doctor's office) explains delays in care. Among older adults with a usual source of care, 13.5% of recent immigrants had not seen a health professional in the past year compared to 8.6% of non-recent immigrants and 6.3% of native-born. Approximately 23% of these differences is attributable to recent immigrants' tendency to receive care in clinics and community health centers. Even when older recent immigrants manage to find a usual source of care, it is of lower quality than that received by their non-recent immigrant and native-born counterparts.
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16
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Jung S, Sexton ME, Owens S, Spell N, Fridkin S. Variability of Antibiotic Prescribing in a Large Healthcare Network Despite Adjusting for Patient-Mix: Reconsidering Targets for Improved Prescribing. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz018. [PMID: 30815500 PMCID: PMC6386112 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the outpatient setting, the majority of antibiotic prescriptions are for acute respiratory infections (ARIs), but most of these infections are viral and antibiotics are unnecessary. We analyzed provider-specific antibiotic prescribing in a group of outpatient clinics affiliated with an academic medical center to inform future interventions to minimize unnecessary antibiotic use. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients who presented with an ARI to any of 15 The Emory Clinic (TEC) primary care clinic sites between October 2015 and September 2017. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to examine the impact of patient, provider, and clinic characteristics on antibiotic prescribing. We also compared provider-specific prescribing rates within and between clinic sites. Results A total of 53.4% of the 9600 patient encounters with a diagnosis of ARI resulted in an antibiotic prescription. The odds of an encounter resulting in an antibiotic prescription were independently associated with patient characteristics of white race (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47–1.73), older age (aOR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.20–1.46 for patients 51 to 64 years; aOR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.20–1.46 for patients ≥65 years), and comorbid condition presence (aOR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09–1.30). Of the 109 providers, 13 (12%) had a rate significantly higher than predicted by modeling. Conclusions Antibiotic prescribing for ARIs within TEC outpatient settings is higher than expected based on prescribing guidelines, with substantial variation in prescribing rates by site and provider. These data lay the foundation for quality improvement interventions to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Jung
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Correspondence: S. Jung, MPH, Emory University, 1075 Trail Rd., Moscow, ID 83843 ()
| | - Mary Elizabeth Sexton
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sallie Owens
- Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nathan Spell
- Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Scott Fridkin
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, Atlanta, Georgia
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17
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Yan J, Hawes L, Turner L, Mazza D, Pearce C, Buttery J. Antimicrobial prescribing for children in primary care. J Paediatr Child Health 2019; 55:54-58. [PMID: 30040141 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.14105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIM To describe the patterns of antimicrobial prescribing in general practice for children aged ≤18 years. METHODS This is a review of routinely collected patient data extracted from computerised medical records from 39 general practices in eastern metropolitan Melbourne over a 5-year period, 2010-2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Proportion of paediatric consultations resulting in antibiotic prescription, type and frequency of antibiotics prescribed, antibiotic prescribing stratified by age, reason for indication and inter-practice variation. RESULTS There were 744 883 consultations for 89 983 individual paediatric patients and 85 913 prescriptions for antibiotics during the study period. Of these antibiotic prescriptions, 75 410 were associated with a consultation, and 10 503 (12.2% of all prescriptions) had no associated consultation in the data. On average, one in five individual children was prescribed an antibiotic each year. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were cephalexin, amoxycillin/clavulanate, cefaclor, phenoxymethylpenicillin and roxithromycin. Less than 3% of all prescriptions were for amoxycillin. Prescribing of cefaclor and roxithromycin decreased, although cefaclor remained the third most common antibiotic choice for general practitioners. Peaks in prescribing were noted over winter months. Reason for prescription was not recorded for 82% of prescriptions. The frequency of antibiotic prescription per consultation varied substantially (2.1-19.7%) between general practitioner clinics. Overall, antibiotic prescribing decreased by 2.3% over the 5-year period. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a focused examination of antibiotic prescribing practices for children in Australian general practice. More information is required to better understand specific prescribing practices in children, including the low frequency of amoxycillin prescription and ongoing prescription of cefaclor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Yan
- Infection and Immunity, Monash Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lesley Hawes
- Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lyle Turner
- Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Danielle Mazza
- Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher Pearce
- Department of General Practice, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Outcome Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jim Buttery
- Infection and Immunity, Monash Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Mafi JN, Parchman M. Low-value care: an intractable global problem with no quick fix. BMJ Qual Saf 2018; 27:333-336. [PMID: 29331955 DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2017-007477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John N Mafi
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.,RAND Health, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California, USA
| | - Michael Parchman
- MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
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