Perspectives on Managing Antibiotic Resistance

Tackling antibiotic resistance likely requires a multifaceted approach. Better and faster point-of-care testing, new treatments, and antimicrobial stewardship could hold promise for future control.

Starting At the Bedside and Doctor’s Office

Precise antibiotic selection — a core principle of antimicrobial stewardship — plays a critical role in combating resistance. In this effort, some children’s hospitals are leading the way.

At the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, effective antibiotic stewardship means treating antibiotics as a precious resource, said Sameer Patel, MD, MPH, medical director of the hospital’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

“Healthcare providers should start antibiotics only when truly needed, choose the narrowest-spectrum effective medication,