Current status of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Korean hospitals: results of a 2018 nationwide survey

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) are suggested as a vital strategy to address antimicrobial resistance. Aim: To examine the current status of ASPs in Korean hospitals, to identify problems and challenges for the implementation of proper ASPs, and to provide a reference for developing more effective ASP policies. Methods: A questionnaire based on the ‘Seven Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs’ from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was developed, modified from the previous questionnaire on ASPs in Korea, 2015. ASP-participating physicians such as infectious disease specialists (IDSs), paediatric IDSs, and directors of infection control departments were targeted. Only one ASP-associated physician per hospital participated in the survey. Findings: The survey response rate was 88.4% (84/95). The median number of medical personnel participating in ASPs was 3 (interquartile range (IQR): 1–5), most of whom were IDS (median: 2; IQR: 1–2). Only 6.0% (5/84) of hospitals had full-time workers for ASPs. Whereas restrictive measures for designated antimicrobials were widely implemented among Korean hospitals (88.1%, 74/84), the proportion of hospitals with interventions for inappropriate long-term antimicrobial use and a conversion strategy from parenteral to oral antimicrobial administration was only 9.5% (8/84) and 1.2% (1/84), respectively. Lack of time, personnel, and appropriate compensation was perceived as the major barrier to establishing an ASP in Korean hospitals. Conclusion: ASPs in Korean hospitals were primarily carried out by one or two IDSs, and programmes mostly comprised restrictive measures for designated antimicrobials. National-level support to implement appropriate ASPs in Korean hospitals is necessary.