Reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescription through implementation of a clinical guideline on self-limiting respiratory tract infections.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clinical guidelines (CG) are used to reduce variability in practice when the scientific evidence is sparse or when multiple therapies are available. The development and implementation of evidence-based CG is intended to organize and provide the best available evidence to support clinical decision making in order to improve quality of care. Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are the leading cause of misuse of antibiotics and a CG may reduce the unnecessary antibiotic prescription.

Methods

The aim of this quasi-experimental, before-after study was to analyze the short- and long-term effects of the implementation of a CG to decrease the rate of antibiotic prescription in URTI cases in the emergency department of a third level private hospital in Quito, Ecuador

SUBMITTER: Sanchez X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8016285 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature