Antimicrobial stewardship: education and policies.

Under the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, the Veterinary Medical Board licenses veterinarians and regulates the practice of veterinary medicine. The act requires an applicant for a renewal license to complete 36 hours of continuing education in the preceding 2 years. This bill would require a veterinarian who renews his or her license on or after January 1, 2018, to complete a minimum of one credit hour of continuing education on the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs, as defined, every 4 years as part of the continuing education requirement. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of skilled nursing facilities by the State Department of Public Health. Under existing law, a violation of the provisions governing skilled nursing facilities constitutes a crime. Existing law also establishes the Hospital Infectious Disease Control Program, which requires the department and general acute care hospitals to implement various measures relating to the prevention of health care associated infection. The program requires, by July 1, 2015, that each general acute care hospital adopt and implement an antimicrobial stewardship policy, in accordance with guidelines established by the federal government and professional organizations, that includes a process to evaluate the judicious use of antibiotics, as specified. This bill would require all skilled nursing facilities, as defined, by no later than January 1, 2017, to adopt and implement an antimicrobial stewardship policy that is consistent with the antimicrobial stewardship guidelines developed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or specified professional organizations. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.