COVID-19 and Antibiotic Stewardship: Using a Systems Engineering Approach to Maintain Patient Safety

Antibiotic stewardship (AS) practices are critical during the COVID-19 pandemic due to risks of antibiotic overuse on patient safety, including Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). A systems engineering approach can help teams evaluate and modify work system elements to support AS and prevent CDI as part of their facility's COVID-19 response.