Why do hospital prescribers continue antibiotics when it is safe to stop? Results of a choice experiment survey.
Laurence S J RoopeJames BuchananLiz MorrellKoen B PouwelsKaty SivyerFiona MowbrayLucy AbelElizabeth L A CrossLucy YardleyTim PetoA Sarah WalkerMartin J LlewelynSarah WordsworthPublished in: BMC medicine (2020)
Guidelines that conflict with antibiotic discontinuation (e.g. pre-specify fixed durations) may discourage safe discontinuation at review. In contrast, guidelines conditional on patient factors/treatment response could help hospital prescribers discontinue antibiotics if diagnostic information suggesting they are no longer needed is available.