The impact of laboratory reporting practice on antibiotic utilisation

Microbiology reports are often misinterpreted by clinicians, which may lead to inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Restricted release of susceptibil ities combined with interpretative comments, can have a positive impact on the level of appropriate antibiotic use. Such a system requires two-way com munication between the laboratory and the clinician and the laboratory's re porting practices should encourage such communication. The production and t ransmission of clinically relevant microbiology reports should be an integr al part of infectious disease management programmes in hospitals. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.