[Optimalisation of the antibiotic policy in The Netherlands. XI. The national electronic antibiotic guide'SWAB-ID' for use in hospitals].

The 'Stichting Werkgroep Antibioticabeleid' (Dutch Working Party on Antibiotic Policy) has developed an electronic national antibiotic guide for the antibiotic treatment and prophylaxis of common infectious diseases in hospitals. This guide also contains information on the most important characteristics of antimicrobial drugs. Advice on antibiotic treatment is based on existing national evidence-based guidelines, where available. Where no guideline is available, the advice is based on an inventory of the antibiotic policies of the 12 Dutch centres with an infectious disease or medical microbiology training programme. The national antibiotic guide can be accessed through the SWAB website (www.swab.nl) and can also be downloaded on PDA/PocketPC, free of charge. Every hospital antibiotic formulary committee in the Netherlands will be offered the opportunity to edit The national version for local use.