Background:

Compared to active surveillance, cumulative antibiograms can offer a relatively feasible, easy, accurate and inexpensive method to collect and predict antimicrobial susceptibility rates in a given geographic region. Aggregate reporting of antibiograms may fail to identify the influence of surrounding communities and will not allow for patient- or case-specific data as is the case in active surveillance. Similar efforts of developing a statewide cumulative antibiogram have been conducted in Wisconsin, Louisiana and California leading to improvements in surveillance and consistency in antibiogram reporting. Given the institutional network of infection control preventionists (ICP), strong presence of health agencies and the geographic advantages of the state, the benefits of such an effort to South Carolina will be far reaching. Health agencies within South Carolina support this cumulative statewide effort including: the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the South Carolina Alliance for Infection Prevention, Health Sciences of South Carolina, the South Carolina Hospital Association, and the South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Goals:

1. Collect and analyze antibiogram data (2007-2011) from all acute care institutions in South Carolina to create both regional and statewide cumulative antibiograms, as well as provide a comparative snapshot of institution-specific susceptibility rates.
2. Complete participation of 100% of acute care facilities in the state
3. Based on the success of this initial project, annual submission of antibiogram data may be requested to continue to provide updated information to hospitals and health agencies in South Carolina
4. Future educational and on-site opportunities related to antimicrobial stewardship and antibiogram development will be born from this project endeavor.

Purpose:

Evaluate trends in antibiotic susceptibility and resistance in the state of South Carolina and neighboring institutions. These efforts will create awareness of resistance problems to better assist state organizations, health agencies and local institutions in surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship efforts. With the assistance of study investigators, all participating institutions will be able to review institutional reporting methodologies and benchmark with other regional and state institutions. Data will remain blinded throughout the process.

Institution Role:

An electronic survey is being distributed to designated representatives (ICPs and Directors of Pharmacy) at all acute care institutions. The survey will collect institution- specific information on areas such as service lines, patient populations, stewardship initiatives and antibiogram methodology. The survey tool is included as an attachment a link in the email communication. Institutional personnel with knowledge of the antibiogram development and service lines will be required to complete the survey. Completing the survey in its entirety is critical to appropriate evaluation of the data. The survey should take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.

Once the survey has been completed, each institution will electronically submit the last 5 years of antibiogram data, 2007 through 2011. Antibiograms may be submitted either in the final clean format distributed to clinicians (preferred) or in a raw data file. All data and institutions will remain blinded by the team. A member of the data management team may contact you to clarify the data. An example antibiogram format is provided in the frequently asked questions (FAQ) attachment.

Submission can occur via 1 of 2 methods:

1. Via the Project website - (preferred method)
2. Via the Project email - info@scantibiogramproject.net

Any questions about the survey or the antibiogram submission process can be directed to the Project email ( info@scantibiogramproject.net ) or to the lead investigator, Dr. Brandon Bookstaver (bookstaver@sccp.sc.edu ).

Project Timeline:

June 2012:
Request for survey completion and data request sent to ICPs and Directors of Pharmacy at all acute care institutions in South Carolina

June - September 2012:
Submission of completed surveys and antibiogram data via methods described above

September 30, 2012:
Deadline for submission of requested data

Sep. 2012 - Feb. 2013:
Compilation and analysis of data

March 2013:
Compiled regional and statewide cumulative data provided to participating institutions

Team:

P. Brandon Bookstaver, PharmD, BCPS (AQ-ID), AAHIVE
Associate Professor, SC College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina Infectious Diseases Pharmacist, Palmetto Health Richland bookstaver@sccp.sc.edu

Sangita Dash, MD
Hospital Epidemiologist, Palmetto Health Richland
Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, USC School of Medicine

Sean Cook, DO
Infectious Diseases Fellow, Palmetto Health Richland
Division of Infectious Diseases, USC School of Medicine

Roger White, PharmD
Professor, SC College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina

Vanessa Millisor, PharmD
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Morgan Disanto-Ranney
University of South Carolina

Julie Edwards, PharmD Candidate
SC College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina

Supporting Organizations:

• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC)
• South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA)
• Health Sciences South Carolina (HSSC)
• South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SCSHP)

Additional Information:

SC Antibiogram Recruitment Information (pdf)
Antibiogram Example Submission (pdf)