Toolkit for Reduction of Clostridium difficile Infections Through Antimicrobial Stewardship

Purpose: To help assess which ASP elements are currently in place in terms of staff and strategies.

Source: Adapted from Greater New York Health Assocation/United Hospital Fund ASP Chapter 2, "The Antimicrobial Stewardship Core Team," and Chapter 3-B, "Core Strategies."

Instructions: Complete checklist, review responses to ascertain the level of leadership support, and target areas that need strengthening to move forward.

Staff Resource	Check If Available:
Infectious disease–trained physician	___
Clinical pharmacist	___
Clinical microbiologist	___
Infection control representative	___
Hospital epidemiologist	___
Information technology	___
Strategies in place Prospective audit with intervention and feedback	___
Education	___
Guidelines and clinical pathways	___
Antimicrobial cycling	___
Antimicrobial order forms	___
Formulary restriction and preauthorization	___
Combination therapy	___
Streamlining or de-escalation of therapy	___
Dose optimization	___
Parenteral to oral conversion	___
Health care information technology	___

Return to Question 1

Current as of September 2012

Internet Citation: Toolkit for Reduction of Clostridium difficile Infections Through Antimicrobial Stewardship. September 2012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/patient-safety-resources/cdifftoolkit/cdiffl2tools1e.html