Antimicrobial stewardship

“Antimicrobial stewardship” (AMS) is the term used to describe actions and policies that ensure the safe and responsible prescribing, administration and disposal of antimicrobials.

Antimicrobials play an important role in treatment of infections but need to be used with care to help them continue to be effective. Antimicrobial stewardship is key to decreasing antimicrobial resistance. 

AMS is everyone’s business because antimicrobial resistance has large impacts on our communities and the way we live.

The Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Care Standard supports quality improvement by health services and clinicians to help reduce AMR. The Standard includes information for consumers, clinicians, and health service organisations.

Consumers

Antimicrobials, stewardship, and resistance

What is an antimicrobial?

An antimicrobial is a medicine that kills microorganisms (microbes) or stops their growth. Microorganisms is the term used for tiny organisms which include bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa.  Microorganisms can cause infections in humans, animals and plants, which can then be treated with antimicrobials.

The 'What are Antimicrobials' graphic from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare is a helpful resource for consumers.

 Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is a systematic approach to improving antimicrobial use, with a view to improving clinical outcomes and minimising adverse events relating to their use, including the development of antimicrobial resistance.

What is Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)? 

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa) that cause infections, adapt over time and no longer respond to the medicines used to treat them (antimicrobials). These medicines can become less effective or ineffective, making infections more difficult - or impossible - to treat. It is important to remember that resistance occurs to the microbes, not the medications used to treat them. 

Health care providers

Effective hospital, aged care  and community AMS programs have been shown to decrease inappropriate antimicrobial use, reduce the burden of multidrug-resistant organisms, and improve the safety and quality of patient care.

Along with infection prevention and control activities (such as hand hygiene, environmental cleaning and managing patients with infection or colonisation), AMS is considered a key strategy in SA Health Safety and Quality programs that focus on preventing and controlling healthcare associated infections.

Having an established AMS program is a requirement of the National Safety and Quality Healthcare Service Standards (third edition). 

Key components of antimicrobial stewardship programs

The key components of an effective AMS program include:

For detailed information on these components, see the Key components for antimicrobial stewardship page.

Educational Resources and e-learning for health care providers

The ACSQHC and National Prescribing Service (NPS) have developed a series of online learning modules for healthcare professionals to promote and support the responsible prescribing of antimicrobials.