The impact of laboratory reporting practice on antibiotic utilisation.

Microbiology reports are often misinterpreted by clinicians, which may lead to inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Restricted release of susceptibilities combined with interpretative comments, can have a positive impact on the level of appropriate antibiotic use. Such a system requires two-way communication between the laboratory and the clinician and the laboratory's reporting practices should encourage such communication. The production and transmission of clinically relevant microbiology reports should be an integral part of infectious disease management programmes in hospitals.