SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-The Effect of Gender Bias on Acceptance of Antibiotic Stewardship Recommendations From Clinical Pharmacists

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This single-center pilot study examined whether the gender of clinical pharmacists influenced acceptance of antibiotic stewardship recommendations by hospitalists at discharge.<br /><br />From May 1 to October 31, 2019, pharmacists conducted in-person or phone “antibiotic timeouts” with hospitalists for hospitalized medicine patients who were receiving antibiotics and planned to continue them after discharge. Recommendations were based on national and institutional guidelines, and both pharmacists and hospitalists had received prior education on antibiotic selection and duration.<br /><br />A total of 295 timeouts were analyzed: 158 led by female pharmacists and 137 by male pharmacists. Overall, 27.8% of timeouts resulted in a recommended antibiotic change, and 17.3% of all recommendations were accepted. However, recommendations made by female pharmacists were accepted far less often than those made by male pharmacists (33% vs 79%, p<0.001). After adjustment, recommendations from female pharmacists had much lower odds of acceptance (adjusted OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.03–0.36).<br /><br />Female pharmacists also made fewer antibiotic change recommendations than male pharmacists (19.6% vs 38.8%), and their recommendations were less likely to be accepted across recommendation types, including stopping antibiotics, shortening duration, and changing spectrum. The study suggests that gender bias may affect how antibiotic stewardship recommendations from pharmacists are received, potentially influencing antibiotic use and patient outcomes.<br /><br />Limitations included inability to adjust for pharmacist experience or training, reliance on self-reported data, and inability to evaluate race, ethnicity, or intersectional bias.

Asset Subtitle

Adamo A. Brancaccio

Meta Tag

Author List Adamo A. Brancaccio, Daniel Giesler, Daraoun Mashrah, Jennifer K. Horowitz, Katie Sandison, Linda Bashaw, Valerie M. Vaughn

Category Research

Concept Pharmacist

Concept Antimicrobial Stewardship

Concept Discharge Antibiotic Optimization

Concept Diagnostic Timeout

Concept Recommendation Acceptance

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Michigan Medicine

Presenting Author Adamo A. Brancaccio

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

antibiotic stewardship

clinical pharmacists

gender bias

hospitalists

recommendation acceptance

discharge antibiotics

pilot study

antibiotic timeout

female pharmacists

male pharmacists

Pharmacist

Antimicrobial Stewardship

Discharge Antibiotic Optimization

Diagnostic Timeout

Recommendation Acceptance