Transcript Shivani-Antibiotics

Presented by: Shivani Porandla
Article written by: Elizabeth Landau
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/0
3/doctors-still-overprescribingantibiotics/?hpt=he_bn4
• Unnecessary prescriptions
• Research from Brigham and Woman’s
hospital in Boston
• Infections are getting harder to treat
• Some Statistics (According to the article)”
–10% of adults with sore throat have strep.
• Doctors prescribe antibiotics for 60% of these cases.
–Cost of unnecessary antibiotic prescription in
U.S. between 1997-2010 was approximately
$500 million
• They are medication used to kill/slow down
bacteria growth.
• Should only be used to treat infections
caused by bacteria.
–Not to be used for viruses.
• Limitations include:
– Unsure if individual prescriptions for antibiotics are
suitable
• Problems include:
–Diseases can become resistant to antibiotics
–Side effects
–Patient demand
• Moral Hazard –
spending more
than necessary on
health care
• Demand curve
explains what care
is worth to us
• Wasted
expenditures
• Old habits die hard…but must come to an
end.
• Educate patients on what they are doing.