Antimicrobial Stewardship White Paper

Although all antimicrobials, including antibiotics, are important in treating infections in long-term care residents, they should be used with great care, and many times they are not the best answer. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now requires skilled nursing facilities/nursing homes to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs that include prescribing protocols, proactive monitoring of utilization, and action steps to reduce inappropriate use of these medications.