The Particulars: Studies show that antibiotic stewardship programs can help reduce inappropriate antibiotic use and decrease the risk of antibiotic resistance. However, data are lacking on the effects of these programs with regard to length of stay and readmission among pediatric patients.
Data Breakdown: During a 5-year study, an antibiotic stewardship program recommended that the prescribed antibiotic be discontinued or the dose to type of antibiotic be changed in 17% of hospitalized children. The study team found that following recommendations from the stewardship program correlated with the following:
| Stewardship Program Recommendation | ||
| Followed | Not Followed | |
| Length of stay (average) | 68 hours | 82 hours |
| 30-day readmission rate | 0.0% | 3.5% |
Take Home Pearl: Hospitalized children who were treated with help from an antibiotic stewardship program appear to have shorter lengths of stays and are less likely to be readmitted early when compared with children hospitalized at institutions without such programs.
