Cost of antimicrobial therapy across US children's hospitals.

We analyzed the cost of antimicrobial prescribing across freestanding children's hospitals. A few specific antimicrobials accounted for a large proportion of expenditures, and antimicrobial spending varied substantially across hospitals, even within specific clinical conditions. Antimicrobial stewardship programs should consider these data to incorporate high-value antimicrobial prescribing when clinically appropriate.