New practice resource simplifies antimicrobial stewardship

Stewardship checklist available to all AVMA members

Are you ready to step up your practice’s efforts to support good antimicrobial stewardship? A new tool created by AVMA’s volunteer committee members and staff streamlines the development and implementation of an effective stewardship plan for veterinary practices.

The veterinary checklist for antimicrobial stewardship is an easy-to-use tool that steps through actions that practicing veterinarians can take to support good stewardship. It’s organized around five key activities:

• Commit to stewardship.
• Advocate for a system of care to prevent common diseases.
• Select and use antimicrobials judiciously.
• Evaluate antimicrobial use.
• Educate and build expertise.

The checklist complements the AVMA’s definition and core principles of stewardship, and you can use it to first establish a baseline and then regularly review progress. It’s part of a growing inventory of practical resources that help AVMA members practice good stewardship and talk with clients about effective antimicrobial use. Other tools include free client handouts and posters, an FAQ document, and more. These can be found along with related AVMA policies and other materials at avma.org/Antimicrobials.

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The stewardship checklist was developed by the AVMA Committee on Antimicrobials and AVMA staff, and builds on work done by an earlier volunteer group, the AVMA Task Force on Antimicrobial Stewardship in Companion Animal Practice. It’s an example of the powerful impact created by AVMA members joining together in a common cause. AVMA members and volunteers are critical to the development of AVMA policy and tools such as this one. See current opportunities to volunteer with AVMA councils and committees to get more involved with your colleagues through the AVMA.