PODCAST: Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Are On The Rise. What Do I Need To Know?

According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control, more than half of the antibiotics used in the U.S. that are prescribed, are unnecessary or used improperly. "We want to use antibiotics for the shortest appropriate duration of therapy," said Christopher Whitman, PharmD. "So even our common infections that used to be treated for seven or 14 days - such as UTI - there's data out there now showing that we only need three days of antibiotic exposure."

In the latest episode of LIFE Cast, Infirmary Health's podcast, Dr. Whitman discusses antibiotic, or antimicrobial, resistance and how infections are on the rise because of this phenomenon.

Dr. Whitman is part of a team of four Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacists at Infirmary Health.

For an Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist, day-to-day activities vary significantly. But ultimately, they facilitate the safe and appropriate use of antimicrobial drugs. This includes antibacterial, antifungals, antivirals and even anti-parasitic medications. This also involves drug information, leadership, project management and education to providers, nursing staff, patients and patients' families. It requires research, lab use evaluations, medication use evaluations and much more.