Implementation of a Delayed Prescribing Model to Reduce Antibiotic Prescribing for Suspected Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in a Hospital Outpatient Department, Ghana

Ghebrehewet, Sam, Shepherd, Wendi, Panford-Quainoo, Edwin, Shantikumar, Saran, Decraene, Valerie, Rajendran, Rajesh, Kaushal, Menaal, Akuffo, Afua, Ayerh, Dinah and Amofah, George (2020) 'Implementation of a Delayed Prescribing Model to Reduce Antibiotic Prescribing for Suspected Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in a Hospital Outpatient Department, Ghana'. Antibiotics, Vol 9, Issue 11, p. 773.

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Abstract

Background: High levels of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Ghana require the exploration of new approaches to optimise antimicrobial prescribing. This study aims to establish the feasibility of implementation of different delayed/back-up prescribing models on antimicrobial prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs).

Methods: This study was part of a quality improvement project at LEKMA Hospital, Ghana, (Dec 2019–Feb 2020). Patients meeting inclusion criteria were
assigned to one of four groups (Group 0: No prescription given; Group 1; Patient received post-dated antibiotic prescription; Group 2: Offer of a rapid reassessment of patient by a nurse practitioner after 3 days; and Group 3: Post-dated prescription forwarded to hospital pharmacy). Patients were contacted 10 days afterwards to ascertain wellbeing and actions taken, and patients were asked rate the service on a Likert scale. Post-study informal discussions were conducted with hospital staff.

Results: In total, 142 patients met inclusion criteria. Groups 0, 1, 2 and 3 had 61, 16, 44 and 21 patients, respectively. Common diagnosis was sore throat (73%). Only one patient took antibiotics after 3 days. Nearly all (141/142) patients were successfully contacted on day 10, and of these, 102 (72%) rated their experiences as good or very good. Informal discussions with staff revealed improved knowledge of AMR.

Conclusions: Delayed/back-up prescribing can reduce antibiotic consumption amongst outpatient department patients with suspected URTIs. Delayed/back-up prescribing can be implemented safely in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Prescribing and Stewardship
Subjects:	QV Pharmacology > Anti-Bacterial Agents. Tissue Extracts > QV 350 Anti-bacterial agents (General or not elsewhere classified) QW Microbiology and Immunology > QW 4 General works. Classify here works on microbiology as a whole. QW Microbiology and Immunology > QW 45 Microbial drug resistance. General or not elsewhere classified. WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries WC Communicable Diseases > Virus Diseases > Viral Respiratory Tract Infections. Respirovirus Infections > WC 505 Viral respiratory tract infections
Faculty: Department:	Biological Sciences > Department of Tropical Disease Biology
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9110773
Depositing User:	Cathy Waldron
Date Deposited:	14 Jan 2021 10:27
Last Modified:	14 Jan 2021 10:27
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/16661

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