Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
As a clinical microbiologist, I deal with a lot of bad pathogens, especially multidrug-resistant organisms. Two years ago, my hospital realized the impact of multidrug-resistant organisms, so we began focusing on antimicrobial stewardship. The clinical pharmacists, clinical microbiologists, and clinicians worked together to build up a program to restrict antibiotics. The program included releasing microbiology AST results on the night shift to the doctor, ICU, and other clinical wards. This allows the doctors to adjust their antimicrobial regimens right away. We also built a good relationship with Infection Control to increase communications and to enhance infection prevention and control measures. The antibiotic stewardship and infection control efforts have resulted in a decrease of multidrug-resistant organisms as well as very good data on the restriction of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, such as carbapenems and vancomycin. Because all of us need to be resistance fighters.
