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Antibiotic Stewardship Resources

Optimizing the use of antibiotics is critical to effectively treat infections, protect patients from harms caused by unnecessary antibiotic use, and combat antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic stewardship programs can help clinicians improve clinical outcomes and minimize harms by improving antibiotic prescribing.

This page provides links to materials developed by The Joint Commission as well as external government resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and those from professional associations and related organizations (e.g. the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, The Pew Charitable Trusts). The tabs at the bottom organize the resources according to source: The Joint Commission, Government Resources and Other Resources.

Information on Joint Commission Standards

As of January 1, 2023, new and revised antibiotic stewardship requirements are applicable to Joint Commission–accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals. The 12 elements of performance (EPs) are included in the “Medication Management” (MM) chapter (Standard MM.09.01.01) and expand upon the current expectations for antibiotic stewardship programs in the hospital setting.
View R3 ReportAntibiotic Stewardship FAQsAsk a standards-related question

Pioneers in Quality Webinar - Joint Commission New and Revised Antibiotic Stewardship Requirements

This webinar describes the key areas and implementation strategies related to the 2023 Antibiotic Stewardship requirements for hospitals.
View the webinar

Resources from The Joint Commission Enterprise

Federal Government Resources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)


Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

External Resources

Disclaimer

This website is not intended to serve as an exhaustive or exclusive repository of publicly available resources related to antibiotic stewardship. Nor does it offer any endorsement of the source nor of any particular product, health care organization, or service, nor should it be construed as a statement that the source, health care organization, or its products or services, are superior to those of other source or company. Many of these resources were not developed or validated by The Joint Commission. Approaches utilized by organizations spotlighted in this website are not inclusive of all organizational approaches that may be successful in addressing antibiotic stewardship, and strategies may need to be tailored by organizations to meet the unique needs of their setting and patient population. By accessing and using website resources, website users agree to make no claim of any kind against The Joint Commission for any and all damages that result from use or implementation of any website content.