Audit of physicians' adherence to the antibiotic policy guidelines in Kuwait.

OBJECTIVE To audit physicians' adherence to the local antibiotic policy guidelines in government hospitals in Kuwait. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was a retrospective review of patient records in nine hospitals between July 1 and December 31, 2008. Clinical notes and medication charts of the latest hospital admissions were checked for antibiotic prescribing. On the audit form, aspects of the prescribed antibiotic were benchmarked to the hospital antibiotic policy guidelines to evaluate adherence. RESULTS Of 2,232 reviewed records, 1,112 (49.8%) patients had 1,528 antibiotic prescriptions. Patients who received antibiotics were significantly younger than those who did not (median age: 26.3 vs. 29.8 years, p < 0.001) and their hospital stay was significantly longer (median: 4 vs. 2 days, p < 0.001). The choice of an antibiotic was appropriate and matched the policy in 806 (52.7%) prescriptions. Of such appropriate antibiotics, adherence to route of administration was observed in 768/806 (95.3%), to dose in 758 (94%), to frequency in 746 (92.6%) and to duration in 608 (75.4%). Full adherence to all aspects of antibiotic choice, dose, route, frequency and duration was achieved in 464 (30.4%) prescriptions. In 382 (25%), the antibiotics administered were not indicated. CONCLUSION There was low adherence to the local antibiotic policy guidelines. Physicians' antibiotic prescribing practices should be optimized. Adherence to, and update of, the policy is recommended.