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ECONOMICS, EDUCATION, AND POLICY

The Role of Anesthesiologists in the Selection and Administration of Perioperative Antibiotics: A Survey of the American Association of Clinical Directors

R. David Warters, MD^*, Peter Szmuk, MD^*, Evan G. Pivalizza, MB, ChB, FFASA^*, Ralf E. Gebhard, MD^*, Jeffrey Katz, MD^*, and Tiberiu Ezri, MD

*Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; and Department of Anesthesiology, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.

Address correspondence to and reprint requests to R. David Warters, M.D., 6431 Fannin Street, Suite 5.020, Houston TX 77030. Address e-mail to robert.d.warters{at}uth.tmc.edu.

Abstract

The importance of timely administration of antibiotics for prophylaxis of surgical site infections has led to pressure on anesthesiologists to administer antibiotics. We present a survey of members of the American Association of Clinical Directors designed to evaluate the role of the anesthesiologist in the selection and administration of perioperative antibiotics. A 13-question survey was sent via e-mail to all 233 members of the American Association of Clinical Directors. Two requests for survey responses resulted in a response rate of 43%. Based on the responses received, anesthesiologists appear to be integrally involved with the administration, but not selection, of perioperative antibiotics, despite what respondents perceive as inadequate training in antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, perioperative antibiotic therapy in general appears to be poorly monitored, and responsibility for selection and administration of perioperative antibiotics appears to be poorly defined.

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