Antibiotic overuse is a contributor to nosocomial infection. This report discusses problems associated with antibiotic prescribing during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Systemic problems arising from the situation include disparities associated with antibiotic administration and unneeded receipt of medications by some patients.

Polypharmacy and medication overuse are known contributors to patient harm. This report outlines recommendations for combating medication overload. The recommendations include prescription review, issue awareness, point-of-care information access, training and industry influence reduction as tactics for improvement.

Overprescribing is a common problem that contributes to patient harm. This report examines financial, clinical, and societal trends of medication overuse and inappropriate polypharmacy in older Americans. A culture of prescribing, deficits in information and knowledge, and fragmented care contribute to the problem. The report provides interventions to improve the safety of prescribing, including developing deprescribing guidelines, raising awareness among providers and patients about medication overload, and implementing team-based care models.

Antimicrobial stewardship has been promoted as a strategy to improve patient safety by reducing overuse of antibiotics to prevent hospital-acquired infections. This report draws from the experience of existing programs to summarize practical strategies for implementing initiatives. Core elements include engaging leadership, monitoring effectiveness, and reporting benchmarks.