UW-Madison School of Pharmacy Global Health Fellow Laurel Legenza, identified a gap in the functionality of antibiotic resistant data and resources in Wisconsin. Antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat that has been highlighted nationally this month with the identification of an E. coli strain resistant to the last resort drug colistin and the Combating Superbugs hearing in the U.S. Congress.

In order to better understand how providers use antibiotic resistance data and current antibiotic stewardship culture in Wisconsin workplaces, Legenza developed a novel survey to be sent to Wisconsin physicians in June in collaboration with the Wisconsin Medical Society. The survey was developed from a series of semi-structured interviews with clinicians (infectious disease physicians, fellows, residents, a nurse practitioner, and student) over four weeks to identify perceptions of current antibiotic resistance patterns and practical use of antibiotic resistance data.

Survey results will be used to determine if the creation of a statewide interactive antibiotic resistance database is an appropriate approach for quality improvement, to improve access and usability of AMR data locally.

The survey was distributed to Wisconsin Medical Society Member physicians on June 2, 2016 via the weekly Medigram and will remain open for the month. Members of the Wisconsin Medical Society are encouraged to participate to join the efforts against antimicrobial resistance in Wisconsin.

Legenza is working under the mentorship of Warren Rose and Susanne Barnett, associate professors (CHS) in the Pharmacy Practice Division.