Researchers have found a superbug resistant to all antibiotic treatments, including "last resort" drugs, according to a report from The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Findings like this have accelerated efforts to form a united front against the spread of antibiotic resistance, called a "global threat" by researchers worldwide. The CDC and the Burlington-based Vermont Oxford Network are the latest to announce an initiative to fight antibiotic resistance.
The partnership is focused on improving patient safety and raising the quality of neonatal care as it relates to the dangers presented by antibiotic resistance. The VON, a nonprofit collaboration of neonatal clinicians, has taken core elements developed by the CDC for hospital-based antibiotic stewardship programs and worked them into an upcoming quality improvement initiative called iNICQ 2016: Choosing Antitbiotics Wisely.
"Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is common in NICUs," according to a statement from the VON website. "In fact, studies show a 40-fold variation in prescribing practices across NICUs. Alert to the growing danger, the CDC has identified antibiotic overuse as one of the 'top five' targets for improvement, and has proposed core elements for hospital-based antibiotic stewardship programs designed to promote appropriate use of antibiotics."
Areas of focus for the collaboration are increased monitoring of infections and antibiotic use, implementation of best practices for infection prevention and improved communications. The VON will offer video conferences, access to its faculty,an online learning portal and an in-person Quality Improvement Summit for participating facilities.