Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health crisis driven by the widespread use of antimicrobial drugs that threatens both humans and animals. Antimicrobial stewardship, the use of the right drug at the right dose for the right duration, is a tool used to increase good treatment outcomes while decreasing negative patient side effects and the development of AMR. Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) promote specific actions that can be performed in a clinical setting to promote the judicious use of antimicrobial drugs.
Beginning in 2015, a team of veterinary clinicians, epidemiologists, pharmacists, and clinical microbiologists collaborated with human health care professionals to develop a model for ASPs in veterinary medicine. The OSU-CVM ASP was launched in the Ohio State University's Veterinary Medical Center (OSU-VMC) in 2018. This program is designed to help clinicians and students by providing them with actionable steps to confidently make judicious antimicrobial use decisions while providing the best care for their patients.
Our Mission:
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To provide the highest level of patient care while minimizing unintended consequences of antimicrobial use, including the emergence of resistant bacteria associated with high rates of patient morbidity and mortality
- To educate future veterinarians on the proper use of antimicrobial drugs and their role in reducing AMR
- To protect public health by promoting proper antimicrobial use to decrease the development of AMR
ASP actions include:
- Creation and maintenance of comprehensive antimicrobial use guidelines intended to protect the efficacy of antimicrobials used to treat patients in the OSU-VMC
- Active environmental surveillance for monitoring of targeted resistant bacteria in the hospital environment
- Routine monitoring and review of antimicrobial prescriptions in the OSU-VMC
- Passive surveillance of clinical microbiology data and creation of antibiograms for monitoring susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from OSU-VMC patients to guide therapeutic plans
- Promotion of enhanced infection control procedures in the OSU-VMC such as the
2020 Hand Hygiene Campaign
The OSU-CVM ASP continues to grow and there are plans to partner with private practices in the state of Ohio to promote antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary medicine. To learn more, visit https://buckeyeasp.vet.ohio-state.edu.
