Antimicrobial stewardship is not only about inpatient antimicrobial prescribing.  Inappropriate outpatient antibiotic prescribing has contributed to the development of resistant organisms.  Nebraska is one of the leading states in the country contributing to the problem of inappropriate outpatient antibiotic prescribing.  Recognizing this as a national issue with global implications, in 2014 the President called for a 50% reduction of inappropriate outpatient antibiotic use by 2020.  In 2016, the CDC outlined the Core Elements of Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship.  Although this has not been mandated yet, in light of recent regulations for inpatient antimicrobial stewardship, it seems inevitable that similar rules will be implemented for outpatient antimicrobial stewardship.  At Nebraska Medicine, we are involved in multiple initiatives to achieve our goals of reduced inappropriate antimicrobial use including institutional guidance documents which are shared on our antimicrobial stewardship website, and partnerships with the Nebraska Health Network and the Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment and Promotion Program (ASAP).

For additional details on this Outpatient Antimicrobial Stewardship blog post, visit UNMC ID blog at https://blog.unmc.edu/infectious-disease/2017/11/17/nebraska-medicine-and-antimicrobial-stewardship-in-the-outpatient-setting/.

Written content courtesy of Dr. Marceline, Associate Medical Director of UNMC/Nebraska Medicine Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.