Preventing the spread of antibiotic resistance can only be achieved with widespread engagement, especially among leaders in public health, healthcare, clinical medicine, and agriculture.
The Public Health Foundation (PHF) recognizes that a multi-sector approach is required to address the problem of antibiotic resistance and promote appropriate antibiotic use around the country. As a partner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work campaign, a national campaign to improve antibiotic prescribing and use in both outpatient and inpatient settings, PHF publicizes the appropriate use of antibiotics across the country by raising awareness of related resources, working with other organizations, and disseminating timely messages.
PHF is sharing CDC’s recently released ground-breaking report, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013, a study of the threats presented by the antibiotic-resistant germs having the most impact on human health. In the report, CDC provides alarming statistics on the state of antibiotic resistance in the United States, including:
- 2 million people in U.S. become ill every year with antibiotic resistant-infections
- At least 23,000 people die annually from antibiotic resistant-infections.
In addition, Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the CDC, issued the following warning in a media briefing:
“If we are not careful, we will soon be in a post-antibiotic era….and for some patients and for some microbes, we are already there.”
Without antibiotics, common diseases that were once easily cured could become deadly. Urgent action is needed among all sectors to keep antibiotics working. CDC has identified the following actions to prevent antibiotic resistance:
- Preventing infections from occurring and preventing resistant bacteria from spreading
- Tracking resistant bacteria
- Improving the use of antibiotics
- Developing new antibiotics and diagnostic tests
Under its Antibiotic Stewardship Program, PHF is working to improve appropriate antibiotic use by leading an effort to develop a change package, a catalogue of the leading practices that teams will adapt in an accelerated improvement process, for public health and healthcare. This initiative compliments PHF's collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to help hospitals reduce healthcare associated infections due to antibiotic resistance. Hospital-based efforts will be most effective when paired with community-based change efforts that address root causes of antibiotic resistance that persist beyond the hospital walls. Learn about the success of Independence Health Department (Independence, Missouri) and others in piloting an antibiotic stewardship program.
PHF is also proud to promote CDC’s Get Smart About Antibiotics Week from November 18 – 24, 2013, an annual effort to coordinate the work of CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work campaign, state-based appropriate antibiotic use campaigns, hospitals, non-profit partners, private-sector organizations, pharmacies, and health departments.
Other Appropriate Antibiotics Use Resources and Partnership Opportunities
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Looking for online training on appropraite antibiotic use? Please check out CDC Learning Connection or TRAIN.