#OneHealthKS Campaign to Actively Promote Appropriate Use of Antibiotics
Antibiotics have been a critical public health tool since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, saving the lives of millions of people around the world. Today, however, the emergence of drug resistance in bacteria is reversing the miracles of the past eighty years, with drug choices for the treatment of many bacterial infections becoming increasingly limited, expensive, and, in some cases, nonexistent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that drug-resistant bacteria cause two million illnesses and approximately 23,000 deaths each year in the United States alone.
The National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria provides a roadmap to guide the Nation in rising to this challenge. The Kansas Quality Improvement Partnership (KQIP) has pledged our commitment, nationally, to promote and support the implementation of principles of good antibiotic stewardship as outlined in the National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. In support of the National Action Plan,
KQIP has established a goal that all Kansas healthcare settings and providers, animal and human, will actively promote the appropriate use of antibiotics through their antibiotic/antimicrobial stewardship programs to reduce serious and urgent threats by 2020.
KQIP commits to lead a statewide effort to elevate widespread appropriate use of antibiotics across care settings in Kansas.
KQIP further commits to support healthcare organizations to develop and enhance antibiotic stewardship programs through the implementation of the
CDC Core Elements for Antibiotic Stewardship:
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Designate clinical leadership,
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Allocate necessary resources,
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Develop local expertise, and
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Educate patients.
Kansas healthcare providers can also take the pledge and commit to working on efforts within their organization related to appropriate use of antibiotics.
Explore the 2018
CDC Antibiotic Awareness Week tools and activities
Who else has taken the Pledge?
Explore additional resources
In 2012, the Kansas Quality Improvement Partnership was established. This partnership was created to maximize resources dedicated to improving quality and to eliminate or reduce duplication of efforts by Kansas providers.
KQIP includes the
Kansas Healthcare Collaborative, the
Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, the
Kansas Hospital Association, the
Kansas Medical Society and the
Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The partnership convenes regularly to discuss and coordinate events, activities and opportunities to maximize effectiveness and efficiency for health care providers. The partnership fosters a transparent, positive and cooperative working relationship and seeks opportunities to share knowledge to improve the patient experience. One of the purposes of
KQIP is to coordinate, support and simplify, when possible, patient safety and quality improvement activities for health care providers across Kansas.
