Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

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 (ASPs) help assist veterinary practices, both large and small, in promoting the judicious use of antimicrobials. Ohio State's program is unique because it collaborates both internally and externally, including helping private practices establish Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs, integrating key principles for infection prevention.

Our Mission

  • To provide the highest level of patient care while minimizing unintended consequences of antimicrobial use, including the emergence of resistant bacteria associated with high patient morbidity and mortality rates.    
  • 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.    
 antimicrobial stewardship program team photo

Core Principles

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person observing plate in lab

Beginning in 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed core principles for ASPs to help optimize patient care and combat antimicrobial resistance. 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 Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (OSU-CVM ASP) was launched in Ohio State's Veterinary Medical Center in 2018. The OSU-CVM ASP models the CDC's core principles. 

 

The leadership of Ohio State's College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Center is fully committed to supporting antimicrobial stewardship efforts. We have committed personnel, resources, and funding to implement the program at the college while we expand to private practices.

We have numerous faculty, DVMs and students responsible for our ASP.  Our committed working group meets bi-weekly to ensure our ASP is working toward our goals. This working group includes epidemiologists, pharmacists, microbiologists, infection control officers, clinicians, students and technicians. 

Creating antimicrobial use guidelines to help educate our students and advise clinicians on target organisms for the conditions seen in our hospital, appropriate empirical treatment options and diagnostic stewardship information.

Performing active and passive surveillance in the environment, monitoring multidrug-resistant microorganisms, tracking drug-resistant nosocomial infections and creating antibiograms.

Creating, implementing and evaluating procedures for infection prevention and control practices.

Establishing protected antimicrobial protocols to help ensure that antimicrobials targeted as protected by the CDC will be used judiciously.

Promoting infection control practices in the Veterinary Medical Center to help prevent disease spread, which would lower our use of antimicrobials.

Providing infectious disease consultations for our clinical services to help guide antimicrobial treatment and diagnostic stewardship.

Developing educational materials such as videos, factsheets, pamphlets, and training opportunities for our VMC community but also for private veterinary practices in central Ohio.

Performing novel research into various aspects of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.

We are tracking hospital prescribing practices, susceptibility patterns (antibiograms) of patient pathogens isolated in diagnostic labs, nosocomial infections and resistance patterns of targeted surveillance isolates.

We regularly generate reports for the VMC community.  
*LINK TO THEIR MOST CURRENT REPORT HERE 

We create educational materials to share with our VMC community, general veterinary community and to the general public (pet owners and producers).  We work with private practices to help them establish ASPs in their own clinic.   

Educational Materials

The Antimicrobial Stewardship Program creates educational materials for the veterinary community, including pet owners and producers. 

 

You can find a full list of our videos on the College of Veterinary Medicine's youtube channel here: Buckeye Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Videos

You can find a full list of our videos on the College of Veterinary Medicine's youtube channel here: Buckeye Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Videos

Are you a private practice looking to establish your own ASP?

BuckeyeASP is a partnership between Ohio State's College of Veterinary Medicine Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and private veterinary practices across Ohio. This program aims to promote antimicrobial stewardship, actively engaging veterinary medicine in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. 

Active Surveillance Team ASP

OSU-VMC Antimicrobial Use Guidelines 

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photo of antibiotics being measured in the lab

The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center Antimicrobial Use Guidelines (OSU-VMC AUG) are a compilation of evidence-based prescribing recommendations for antimicrobial drugs regularly used by OSU-VMC clinicians in each of the three hospitals within the VMC (companion animals, farm animals, and equine). The OSU-VMC AUG is designed to increase awareness of antimicrobial stewardship and to train future and current veterinarians in the prudent use of antimicrobials by providing guidance on empiric therapy.

 

 

Antimicrobial use Guidelines