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Antimicrobial stewardship - applicable programs

Do all ambulatory organizations need to address antimicrobial stewardship?

Any examples are for illustrative purposes only.

The inappropriate use of antimicrobial medications contributes to antibiotic resistance and adverse drug events, and improving antimicrobial prescribing practices is a patient safety priority. As a result, The Joint Commission implemented an antimicrobial stewardship standard (MM.09.01.03) for the Ambulatory Health Care (AHC) accreditation program on January 1, 2020. 

Joint Commission-accredited ambulatory health care organizations that routinely prescribe antimicrobial medications are required to address antimicrobial stewardship.  These include organizations providing medical or dental services, episodic care, occupational/worksite health, urgent/immediate care, or convenient care.  The requirements are not applicable to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) or the office-based surgery (OBS) program. 
 
Manual: Ambulatory
Chapter: Medication Management MM
First published date: September 24, 2019 This Standards FAQ was first published on this date.
This page was last updated on November 01, 2021
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