[Index]

3.5 RESERVED ANTIMICROBIAL DRUGS

POLICY

The Reserved Antimicrobial Drug (RAD) programme is a mechanism for controlling and monitoring the use of select antimicrobial drugs.  Selected antibiotics are reserved for hospital-approved indications on the recommendation of the Antibiotic Use Subcommittee of the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee.  The current reserved drugs include cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin IV, ertapenem, imipenem, linezolid IV/PO, meropenem, moxifloxacin IV, piperacillin-tazobactam, ticarcillin-clavulanate,

PROCEDURES

Physician:        

1.     Prescribes a reserved antibiotic according to hospital approved indications.
2.     Converts from the parenteral to oral dosage form or alternative when clinically feasible.

Pharmacy:        
 
3.     Dispenses reserved antibiotic with a 3-day stop date.
4.     Monitors all patients receiving a reserved antibiotic to ensure appropriate usage.
5.     Provides statistics on the patterns of use of reserved antibiotics to the Drugs and
        Therapeutics Committee.