Main Strategies  Review and analyse antibiotic use after they have been prescribed  Reach consensus on antibiotic use before they are prescribed Problems that must be considered for rational antibiotic use  Prompt initiation of antibiotic use when indicated  Avoiding use of antibiotics for conditions not due to bacteria  Choice of the first and second line drugs for the demonstrated or supposed bacterial etiology responsible for the disease that requires treatment  Identification of proper dose, fractioning, and duration of antibiotic and switch from intravenous to per os according to the patient and the disease  Choice of conditions for which antibiotic prophylaxis is needed Methods to rationalize antibiotic therapy  Education (i.e., lectures, handbooks, educational conferences, guidelines)  Use of antibiotic order forms  Formation of multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team  Obtaining administrative and leadership support  Continuous and transparent monitoring of antibiotic use  Adequate use of diagnostic tests, including point-of-care tests  Knowledge of local resistance rates for different pathogens |