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Tool helps University of Wisconsin hold antibiotic costs flat 4 years

University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, a 471-bed teaching hospital, ranked among the nation’s finest academic medical centers. A recognized national leader in the fields of cancer treatment, pediatrics, ophthalmology, surgical specialties and organ transplantation, it is ranked in the top 3 percent of U.S. hospitals in five specialties according to the 2009 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” guide.

Situation:

Antibiotic drug budget was growing about 10 percent annually. Limited number of drugs was being monitored; switching patients from intravenous drug therapy to medications by mouth was difficult.

Solution:

To reduce infections and antibiotic overuse, medical center installed SafetySurveillor™, as part of a larger stewardship program that includes feedback to prescribers from the Infectious Diseases physician member of the stewardship team, formulary management, drug use guidelines and education.

Results:

Antibiotic drugs cost per admission declined from $183.26 to $159.53 in the past year – 12.9 percent in past three years.
Anti-infective drugs cost per patient day declined 21.3 percent from $33.11 in FY05 to $26.06 in FY07.
Anti-infectives cost as a percent of total drug budget declined 10.5 percent from 22.9 percent in FY05 to 20.5 percent in FY08.

"With SafetySurveillor what we have really is a light-years-level improvement over what we were doing before."

Sarah E. Bland, RPh
Senior Clinical Pharmacist
University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinic

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