Use of clinical decision support systems for antimicrobial stewardship

DOI: 10.6524/TEB.202411_40(22).0001

Hao-Hsin Wu^*

2024 Vol.40 NO.22

Correspondence Author： Hao-Hsin Wu^*

Abstract：

        Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a multi-faceted global challenge known as a “silent pandemic”. If no action is taken, AMR could soar dramatically, leading to higher public health, economic, and social costs. Antimicrobial stewardship programs are important measures for reducing and preventing AMR. Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) are designed to improve healthcare delivery by optimizing medical decisions with collaboration with pharmacy, clinical microbiology, radiology, and infectious disease workforce. CDSSs use in antimicrobial stewardship include prospective audit and feedback, formulary restriction, and preauthorization in antimicrobial stewardship programs; optimizing antimicrobial choice; reducing time to appropriate antibiotics use; and increasing compliance with guidelines. CDSSs have shown many benefits such as improvement in antibiotic selection, reduction in antibiotic usage, decreased mortality, increased pharmacy interventions, decreased time to optimal therapy, and decreased healthcare costs. Nevertheless, several potential challenges and barriers remain for the implementation of CDSS, including costs of systems establishment and maintenance, adherence and utility of CDSS, excessive alerts related alert fatigue, and ethical and legal issues.