Appropriate use of antibiotics to prevent surgical site infections varies substantially across children’s hospitals, according to a study reported today in JAMA Pediatrics. Based on a review of administrative data from 31 freestanding children’s hospitals between 2010 and 2013, appropriate use of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis varied by hospital from 47.3% to 84.4%. When antibiotic prophylaxis was indicated for a procedure based on guidelines or consensus statements, the median rate of appropriate use was 93.8%; when antibiotic prophylaxis was not recommended, the median rate of appropriate use was 52%. The authors said the lack of pediatric-specific guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis use may be the most likely reason for the variation. They cited an urgent need for additional research to document the procedure-specific risk of surgical site infection among pediatric patients and establish strategies to improve antibiotic prophylaxis use for children.

Related News Articles

Headline
A collaborative program between Rush University Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee brings fathers into the prenatal care program and…
Perspective
Public
Getting an annual flu vaccination is the best way to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
Headline
There have been 1,596 confirmed cases of measles across the U.S. this year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.…
Blog
Public
Cross-industry insights and new technology are helping HCA Healthcare reduce risk, improve outcomes and lead the future of high-reliability careFor Randy Fagin…
Headline
The Food and Drug Administration has identified a Class I recall of Abiomed Automated Impella Controllers due to the potential for serious injury or death. The…
Headline
The AHA’s social media toolkit for spreading awareness of the flu focuses on the beginning of fall and the availability of the flu vaccine for at-risk,…