Hospitals: antimicrobial stewardship.

Existing law provides for the licensure and inspection of health facilities, including general acute care hospitals, by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law requires a general acute care hospital to develop a process for evaluating the judicious use of antibiotics, the result of which is required to be monitored by appropriate representatives and committees involved in quality improvement activities. Under existing law, a violation of the provisions governing health facilities constitutes a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000, by imprisonment in a county jail, or by both that fine and imprisonment. This bill would require all general acute care hospitals, as defined, to adopt and implement, by July 1, 2015, an antimicrobial stewardship policy in accordance with guidelines established by the federal government and professional organizations and that includes a process to evaluate the judicious use of antibiotics, as specified. The bill would require a general acute care hospital to develop a physician supervised multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship committee, subcommittee, or workgroup, and to appoint at least one physician or pharmacist to that committee, subcommittee, or workgroup who is knowledgeable about antimicrobial stewardship through prior training or attendance at continuing education programs. The bill would also require a general acute care hospital to report antimicrobial stewardship program activities to each appropriate hospital committee undertaking clinical quality improvement activities. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.