FLASH: Antibiotics: Take Them Seriously

It’s Antibiotic Awareness Week. Join us in helping ensure your patients/our members are using these medications safely.

As you know, unnecessary antibiotic use can lead to antibiotic resistance. This is one of the most serious public health problems in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Each year, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, and about 23,000 people die from these infections.

You can do your part in stopping antibiotic overuse by only prescribing these medications after appropriate testing to ensure a patient’s infection is bacterial, not viral. Please also remember to code properly so that appropriate prescribing of antibiotics does not show as inappropriate prescribing.

When discussing antibiotics with your patients, please remind them of these safety tips.

• Don’t take antibiotics prescribed for someone else.
• Don’t share your antibiotics with others.
• Don’t save leftover antibiotics to take the next time you’re sick.

As your patients’ trusted provider, you can help them take antibiotics seriously and raise awareness of the dangers of antibiotic overuse.

Learn more and find resources at CDC.gov/GetSmart/Community.

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