Reducing Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Upper Respiratory Infections

Acute upper respiratory infections account for most urgent care visits, and most do not require antibiotics. A quality improvement project was conducted at an urgent care clinic in Texas over a 1-month period with the intent of improving antibiotic prescribing practices for acute upper respiratory infections. The rates of antibiotic prescribing before and after the implementation were compared, and focus group discussions were conducted for insight. A significant decrease in the rates of antibiotics prescribed was noted when prescribing rates before and after implementation were compared. Insightful information was collected from the focus groups. •Antibiotics are overprescribed for upper respiratory infections.•Antibiotics for upper respiratory infections are frequently prescribed in urgent care settings.•Quality improvement can reduce over prescribing of antibiotics