Cereplex Application Reduces Antibiotic Costs

PharmWatch has proven successful for the University of Maryland Medical Center. A new application from Cereplex Inc, PharmWatch allows hospitals and health care professionals to continuously monitor and analyze antibiotic use, reducing hospital pharmacy expenses and improving patient outcomes. During the 3-month randomized trial, the Baltimore-based hospital witnessed an 18% reduction in its antibiotics costs. The hospital has projected a $1-million annual savings once the program is implemented throughout the facility.

The program provides health care professionals with numerous automated alerts for drugs used and organism-susceptibility mismatches. PharmWatch also generates reports and analyses to track drug use, costs, and resistance by provider, ward, or service. Because each hospital faces unique infection and resistance problems, PharmWatch users can easily customize alerts, reports, and analyses to target their specific needs.

When PharmWatch is integrated with Setnet, Cereplex's Web-based application for infection control, there is a synergy in addressing a hospital's major infectious disease concerns. The benefits include reduced transmission of hospitalacquired infections, preventing further antibiotic resistance and drug use.