Why do hospital prescribers continue antibiotics when it is safe to stop? Results of a choice experiment survey.
This study used hypothetical scenarios to explore factors influencing prescribers’ decision-making on whether to discontinue antibiotics at early review. Prescribers (from acute/general hospitals) were more likely to continue antibiotics when discontinuation would conflict with local guidelines, when systems clearly indicated antibiotics, and when patients had severe frailty or comorbidities.