Dell Medical School Antimicrobial Stewardship Pilot
Antimicrobial Stewardship Health Quality and Safety Collaborative to Improve Antibiotic Use in Nursing Homes
Interested in Participating?
Contact the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team at DSHS:
Email: AntibioticStewardship@dshs.texas.gov
Dell Medical School Project Goal:
The Dell Medical collaboration pilot is to decrease Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) rates in long-term care facilities (LTCF) in the Austin/Travis and Williamson jurisdiction through Antimicrobial Stewardship (AS) practices then disseminate best practice tools statewide.
Dell Medical School Project Objectives:
- Provide tools to improve Antimicrobial Use (AU) in LTCFs in Texas.
- Reduce AR by implementing standard diagnostic protocols and treatment guidelines for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in LTCFs in Texas.
- Improve tracking of AU in LTCFs in Texas.
Why this matters:
- AR is a major global health issue, causing around 2.9 million infections and 36,000 deaths annually.
- AR affects humans, animals, and the environment, costing the U.S. $4.6 - 20 billion in extra healthcare costs.
- Outpatient antimicrobial prescriptions are highest and increasing in the Southern U.S.
- Nursing home (NH)/Skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents are vulnerable to AR infections due to long term care stay, medical comorbidities, frailty, and exposure to high AU.
- AR leads to more treatment failures, higher morbidity and mortality, increased hospitalizations, and costly broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- AS refers to a set of commitments and activities designed to optimize the treatment of infections with appropriate AU while reducing the adverse events associated with AU.
What’s Involved?
- Provider Education: Participants will receive updated evidence-based guidance on UTI treatment.
- Staff Education: Staff members will follow evidence-based protocols for urine collection.
- Resident and Family Engagement: Ensuring everyone is informed and engaged.
- Data Collection: Information on UTI diagnostic criteria and antibiotic use will be shared with facility staff and providers.
When does it start?
In February 2024, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) began collaborating with Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin to partner with nursing facilities.