Economic Evaluation of Prudent Antibiotic Usage Campaigns: Enhancing Healthcare Quality and Reducing Costs

Background and Objective: Irrational use of antibiotics is a major cause of antibiotic resistance and increases healthcare costs. Promoting the prudent use of antibiotics in hospitals is an essential effort to improve the quality of antibiotic use among healthcare workers. This study aims to evaluate the quality and cost analysis of antibiotic use in surgical cases at RSND Semarang before and after the campaign for prudent antibiotic use. Methods: This study uses a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pre-test and post-test. The sample consisted of 86 patient medical records of surgical cases that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria at RSND. Data on the quality of antibiotic use were obtained from the medical records and analyzed by the RSND PPRA team using the Van Meer and Gyssens criteria. Data analysis was performed using the Chi-square test, and a cost analysis was conducted before and after the campaign for prudent antibiotic use. Results: The study found a significant difference in the quality and cost of antibiotic use in surgical cases at RSND Semarang before and after the campaign. Out of 44 medical records and 76 antibiotic prescriptions, the most frequently prescribed antibiotics were Ceftriaxone, Cefazolin, and Cefadroxil. The majority of antibiotics were categorized under Category V (no indication), accounting for 47.3%. The cost of antibiotic use in inappropriate categories (I-IV) was 1,003,630 IDR, while for Category V it was 497,606 IDR. The cost of appropriate antibiotic use (Category 0) was the lowest, at 332,653 IDR. Conclusion: The use of antibiotics without proper indication and inappropriately contributes the highest costs, with the most expensive being the inappropriate use of antibiotics. This highlights the importance of prudent antibiotic management to reduce unnecessary healthcare expenses and combat antibiotic resistance.