Concerns remain about unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions despite decline

Outpatient antibiotic use overall declined between 2018 and 2021, but some providers still inappropriately prescribe antibiotics for viral respiratory issues, according to a recent report by the Department of Health Services.

The report used insured Wisconsinites’ claims data documented by the Wisconsin Health Information Organization to track changes in oral antibiotic prescribing patterns throughout the state in outpatient facilities.

Per the study, most antibiotic prescribing happens with providers in outpatient facilities, including urgent cares, clinics and emergency rooms.

Less than 3 percent of reported antibiotic prescriptions in 2021 were in response to conditions that do not need antibiotics, like coughs and acute upper respiratory infections. Despite this decrease from 2018, DHS still hopes to work toward curbing unnecessary prescribing.

“Improving antibiotic prescribing in all healthcare settings is critical to combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” the report said.

Most initiatives to reduce overprescribing antibiotics have historically targeted hospitals. With 18.7 percent of urgent care visits in 2021 resulting in antibiotic prescriptions within three days, DHS also wants to see antibiotic use improvement efforts in urgent care centers specifically.

Researchers observed how female patients, patients from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, and those in the northern public health region had the highest rates of visits linked to antibiotic prescriptions.

Out of the Wisconsin Health Information Organization’s documented patients, 21.4 percent had at least one medical claim for an antibiotic prescription. The average antibiotic prescription claim count for those with at least one antibiotic prescription claim was nearly two.

– Elizabeth Casolo for Wisconsin Health News