epocrates, a digital health company owned by athenahealth, has announced the launch of a new mobile tool called 'Bugs + Drugs.' The new tool has been designed to offer doctors relevant information about bacteria types, including their susceptibility to antibiotics as determined by ZIP code. Bugs + Drugs will be offered as a feature within epocrates' mobile app, which already centers around drug prescribing and safety information.
The new tool aims to help clinicians prescribe the appropriate antibiotics to their patients by taking into account resistances that may be prevalent in their geographical area. In doing so, the tool will help support the broader push for responsible antimicrobial stewardship in healthcare -- an increasingly important initiative considering antimicrobial resistance is on the rise across the world.
"With Bugs + Drugs, clinicians now have an innovative, digital tool in their pocket that offers localized susceptibility data needed to confidently make informed and effective point-of-care decisions for patients through knowledge of the bacteria prevalent in their patient’s community," said Anne Meneghetti, MD, executive director of Medical Information.
Antibiotic Prescription Tools
epocrates' Bugs + Drugs Tool Aims to Optimize Antibiotic Prescribing
Trend Themes
1. Antimicrobial Stewardship - There is an opportunity for healthcare providers to adopt digital tools like 'Bugs + Drugs' to improve antimicrobial stewardship.
2. Geolocation-based Prescription - Designing prescription tools that allow the identification of geographical areas with resistant bacteria may lead to better patient outcomes.
3. Personalized Medicine - Using tools like Bugs + Drugs can provide physicians with data about bacteria prevalent in their patient’s community and help them make informed personalized medical decisions.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare IT - The development and integration of digital tools like Bugs + Drugs can revolutionize healthcare IT and play a vital role in responsible antimicrobial stewardship.
2. Pharmaceuticals - Pharmaceutical companies can collaborate with healthcare providers to design prescription tools that take into account geographical variations in resistance patterns.
3. Medical Devices - Designing personalized medical devices that integrate microbial susceptibility data for a particular geographical area can improve clinical outcomes and contribute to responsible antimicrobial stewardship.