New Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit Can Help Nursing Homes Meet CMS Requirements

​A new toolkit from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) can help nursing homes optimize their use of antibiotics. The Nursing Home Antimicrobial Stewardship Guide includes research-based resources and can also help nursing homes decrease harm associated with inappropriate prescribing, AHRQ said. The guide is consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) core elements of antibiotic stewardship for nursing homes and can help providers meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's (CMS) new Infection Prevention and Control Program requirements. The guide includes four toolkits, which are described in the Browse Antimicrobial Toolkits section.