Massachusetts Long Term Care Facilities – Track Your Antibiotic Start Data

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), in partnership with Healthcentric Advisors, would like to encourage you to take advantage of an important opportunity to receive assistance and feedback on a core element of your facility antibiotic stewardship program: Tracking your Antibiotic Start Data.

The MDPH has developed an online tool in which to enter your facility’s monthly antibiotic start data. In return for entering monthly data using this tool, each facility will receive quarterly benchmarking reports that show how your facility’s antibiotic start rates compare with those of other LTC facilities. Participation is voluntary and not part of the MDPH regulatory process. Submitted data are intended to assist in improving practice and will be shared in aggregate only.

We began this program in 2018, and because so many facilities successfully submitted their monthly data and found the reports to be informative. MDPH will continue this program indefinitely and encourages all Massachusetts LTC facilities to enter monthly antibiotic start data. Even if your facility has never entered monthly data, you are strongly encouraged to start now.

Submitting this information is an important component of your facility antibiotic stewardship program and serves several purposes:

1. Enables us to assist with calculating your facility’s antibiotic usage rates for monitoring
2. Allows us to provide your facility with quarterly benchmarking information
3. Shows you how your facility compares to other similar facilities in MA with regard to antibiotic starts
4. Supports CMS requirements that LTCFs must establish an antibiotic stewardship program that includes a system to monitor antibiotic use (Section §483.80 Infection Control).