The Particulars: Disseminating education and tools to help guide clinical decisions surrounding antimicrobial use is paramount to the success of stewardship practices. Social media platforms may aid in efforts to disseminate these materials.
Data Breakdown: To increase the visibility and reach of an antimicrobial stewardship program, researchers used Facebook and Twitter to disseminate education materials to internal medicine residents. Their aim was to increase knowledge on appropriate antibiotic use and to encourage the use of clinical pathways. The average antibiotic knowledge scores increased significantly from 11.5 out of 20 prior to implementing the social media intervention to 14.4 out of 20 after it was initiated. The percentage of residents who used the program’s clinical pathways also increased significantly over the study period, increasing from 33% to 62%.
Take Home Pearl: Social media appears to be a valuable tool for disseminating education and materials regarding antimicrobial stewardship programs.
