Dr. Amy Kang has been awarded the inaugural CUSP Patient Safety Award for her proposal “Addressing the Silent Threat: Inappropriate Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Outpatient Settings.”

Following reviews of CUSP’s Science and Patient Safety Committees, award recognizes a faculty member’s innovative research proposals that show potential to significantly improve patient care. Dr. Kang, in collaboration with Dr. Richard Beuttler, CUSP students, and a professor from UCLA will begin a project focused on the inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and management of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Dr. Amy Kang has been awarded the inaugural CUSP Patient Safety Award for her proposal “Addressing the Silent Threat: Inappropriate Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Outpatient Settings.”

Following reviews of CUSP’s Science and Patient Safety Committees, award recognizes a faculty member’s innovative research proposals that show potential to significantly improve patient care. Dr. Kang, in collaboration with Dr. Richard Beuttler, CUSP students, and a professor from UCLA will begin a project focused on the inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and management of urinary tract infections (UTIs). As Dr. Kang puts it, “UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections, affecting millions annually. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in treating UTIs have led to alarming consequences, including the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, compromised patient safety, and increased healthcare costs.”

Dr. Kang highlights a critical gap in antibiotic stewardship, emphasizing that while the majority of antibiotic prescriptions are issued in outpatient settings, stewardship efforts predominantly target inpatient care. She advocates for a greater emphasis on developing and implementing stewardship programs tailored specifically to outpatient settings. While there are easily accessible practice guidelines,  a persistent issue of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for the treatment of UTIs remains a problem area that may be solved by implementing antimicrobial stewardship initiatives aimed at improving the diagnosis and management of UTIs. The team’s goal is to ultimately identify characteristics that influence antibiotic prescribing practices for the treatment of UTI to guide antibiotic stewardship program interventions.

“Our investigation is a multicenter, retrospective study of patients with UTI from a large public hospital and clinic network,” says Dr. Kang. “Our findings will form the foundation for a subsequent, targeted antimicrobial stewardship intervention to minimize inappropriate prescribing practices of UTIs in an outpatient setting.”

At CUSP, we practice and teach patient safety first practices in both clinic and research settings. Through initiatives like the CUSP Patient Safety Award, we begin to further formally recognize the impact our faculty have in addressing critical issues in healthcare, develop effective interventions, and promote a culture of safety and excellence.

Below: Dr. Kang stands with an unrelated poster.