Antimicrobial management measures to limit resistance: A process-based conceptual framework.

To curb the trend toward increasingly resistant microorganisms, we must at least ensure that antibiotics are used in accordance with the best available scientific evidence. Here we review the control and streamlining measures aimed at optimizing the use of antibiotics, placing an emphasis on their demonstrated effectiveness in the intensive care unit environment. Because of their wide variety, the measures have been organized along the process of choosing, dosing, delivering, and then adjusting the initial antibiotics according to the culture results. By clarifying the range of options available, this process-based conceptual framework assists in best adapting a creative mixture of control measures to a particular healthcare system. The framework also facilitates the overview of a proposed multidisciplinary antibiotic management program, thereby helping to secure the administrative and local provider support necessary for its implementation and continued improvement.