Prevention and Chronic Condition Management:
Correct Antibiotic Use for Upper Respiratory Infections
What are we measuring and why?
Antibiotics do not cure the common cold and other illnesses, including the flu, that are caused by viruses. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed can cause bacteria to grow resistant to the antibiotics. Therefore antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections, including strep throat.
This measure demonstrates how frequently doctors do not prescribe antibiotic medicine (such as Penicillin) for children ages 3 months to 18 years who are diagnosed with colds, viral sore throats, and other viruses. A high score means that your child’s doctor is using antibiotics correctly.
How are we doing and how do we compare to best practice?
Ninety-five percent of the time, our physicians are meeting the guidelines for prescribing antibiotics, which is the same as the Massachusetts state average and the National 90th percentile.
What are we doing to improve?
Regular feedback about performance in this measure is provided to our clinicians. For example, Partners Community HealthCare, Inc. (PCHI), our network of primary care, specialty, and other health professionals who make up our ambulatory health care network, is developing clinical variation reports on diagnosis and use of antibiotics in the treatment of upper respiratory illnesses so that clinicians can compare their practice patterns.
Charts for Correct Antibiotic Use for Upper Respiratory Infections
- Current Scores
- Current Scores
Correct Antibiotic Use for Upper Respiratory Infections
Partners HealthCare Data Period: January 2010 – December 2010
Partners HealthCare Source: Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.
Mass. State Average Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
National 90th Percentile Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
Correct Antibiotic Use for Upper Respiratory Infections
Partners HealthCare Data Period: January 2010 – December 2010
Partners HealthCare Source: Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.
Mass. State Average Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
National 90th Percentile Source: Massachusetts Health Quality Partners