Antibiotic-use protocols can improve compliance with federal infection control guidelines and reduce citations in nursing facilities, says a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Facilities should employ protocols requiring documentation of criteria for initiating and reassessing antibiotics, according to the CDC.

The study found that the most common citations for nursing facilities involved antibiotic prescribing, specifically, missing antibiotic prescribing protocols, missing documentation on the facility’s criteria for initiating antibiotics, and reassessment/review for resident admission or readmission. These errors accounted for 67% of penalties. Antibiotic tracking and reporting errors – most frequently involving missing or incomplete antibiotic or infection surveillance logs – were identified in 40% of citations.

“Protocols requiring documentation of criteria for antibiotic initiation and reassessment should be integrated into nursing home workflows to improve adherence,” said Katrina Gouin, a scientific data analyst with CDC’s Office of Antibiotic Stewardship, talking about the study. Tracking antibiotic use at the facility level should be automated, she suggested. This could involve either electronic health records or receiving routine reporting of dispensing data by long-term care pharmacies.

Click here to read the study.