What's up with getting an antibiotic?

There are several quality measures intended to track outpatient antibiotic prescribing. The goal is to reduce unnecessary prescriptions. Per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at least 28% of antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting are unnecessary, meaning that no antibiotic was needed at all.

Per the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), "the use of antibiotics is standard treatment for bacterial infections, but 30%–50% of antibiotic prescriptions in hospital settings are unnecessary or inappropriate. This increases the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections. Reducing improper use of antibiotics can decrease antibiotic resistance and improve patient outcomes."

Per the CDC website:

What DO antibiotics treat?

Antibiotics ONLY treat certain infections caused by bacteria, such as:

• Strep throat
• Whooping cough
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Antibiotics are also needed to treat life-threatening conditions caused by bacteria, such as sepsis, which is the body’s extreme response to infection.

What DON’T antibiotics treat?

Antibiotics DO NOT work on viruses, such as those that cause:

• Colds and runny noses, even if the mucus is thick, yellow, or green
• Most sore throats (except strep throat)
• Flu
• Most cases of chest colds (bronchitis)

Antibiotics also ARE NOT needed for some common bacterial infections, including:

• Many sinus infections
• Some ear infections

This is because these illnesses will usually get better on their own, without antibiotics.

However, patients don't generally graciously accept the advice "get better on your own" especially after tests and co-pays. Many then then go to work sick.

A few thoughts to ease this patient inconvenience:

• More at-home self-tests would be helpful to patients who take time for a clinic appointment, do the tests, and get sent home instead.
• Ability to get a lab test from a professional without first going to a clinic appointment or calling the doctor.

Kris Gates, gates@healthendeavors.com, 402.321.6188