Table 2.

QIs focusing on the decision to prescribe antibiotics.

QIs as a ratio (nominator: denominator)	Acceptable range (%)	Median, range 1–9
Patients with acute pharyngotonsillitis
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	20–40	9
Number of patients with a positive StrepA test treated with antibiotics: number of patients with a positive StrepA test	90–100	9*
Number of patients fulfilling 0–1 modified Centor criterion treated with antibiotics: number of patients fulfilling 0–1 modified Centor criterion	0–10	9*
Number of generally affected patients fulfilling 4–5 modified Centor criteria treated with antibiotics: number of generally affected patients fulfilling 4–5 modified Centor criteria	90–100	9*
Patients with acute otitis media
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	10–50	5
Number of patients <6 months treated with antibiotics: number of patients <6 months	90–100	9*
Number of patients >6 months with no signs of fluid in the middle eara treated with antibiotics: number of patients >6 months with no signs of fluid in the middle eara	0–10	9*
Number of patients >6 months with ≤3 days of acute ear pain and no signs of fluid in the middle eara treated with antibiotics: number of patients >6 months with ≤3 days of acute ear pain and no signs of fluid in the middle eara	0–10	9*
Number of patients treated with a wait-and-see antibiotic prescription: number of patients treated with antibiotics	0–30	5
Patients with acute rhinosinusitis
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	5–10	9*
Number of patients with a CRP test <10 mg/l treated with antibiotics: number of patients with a CRP test <10 mg/l	0–10	8*
Number of patients fulfilling less than three diagnostic criteriab treated with antibiotics: number of patients fulfilling less than three diagnostic criteriab	0–10	9*
Number of patients fulfilling three or more diagnostic criteriab treated with antibiotics: number of patients fulfilling three or more diagnostic criteriab	80–100	9*
Number of patients with <5 days symptom duration treated with antibiotics: number of patients with <5 days symptom duration	0–10	9*
Number of patients treated with a wait-and-see antibiotic prescription: number of patients treated with antibiotics	0–30	2
Patients with acute bronchitis
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	0–10	9*
Number of patients with a CRP test <20 mg/l treated with antibiotics: number of patients with a CRP test <20 mg/l	0–10	8
Number of patients with purulent expectorate treated with antibiotics: number of patients with purulent expectorate	0–10	9*
Patients with pneumonia
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	90–100	9*
Number of patients with a CRP test <20 mg/l treated with antibiotics: number of patients with a CRP test <20 mg/l	0–20	3
Number of patients <65 years fulfilling less than diagnostic criteriac treated with antibiotics: number of patients <65 years fulfilling less than two diagnostic criteriac	0–20	9*
Patients with acute exacerbation of COPD
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	20–70	5
Number of patients fulfilling 2–3 Anthonisen criteriad treated with antibiotics: number of patients fulfilling 2–3 Anthonisen criteriad	90–100	9*
Patients with acute exacerbation of severe (class C–D) COPD
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	80–100	9*
Patients with acute exacerbation of mild–moderate (class A–B) COPD
Number of patients with a CRP test <10 mg/l and/or absence of fever fulfilling less than two Anthonisen criteriad treated with antibiotics: number of patients with a CRP test <10 mg/l and/or absence of fever fulfilling less than two Anthonisen criteriad	0–10	9*
Patients with acute RTI
Number of patients treated with antibiotics: number of patients	10–30	3
Number of patients prescribed antibiotics by telephone consultation: number of patients treated with antibiotics	0–10	9*

^*Consensus of appropriateness.

^aEvaluated by tympanometry or pneumatic otoscopy and the absence of ear discharge.

^bDiscolored nasal discharge and/or purulent secretion in the nasal cavities, strong localised pain, fever (>38 °C), elevated CRP, exacerbation after remission of the disease.

^cSymptoms of lower RTI (cough ± expectorate), emerging findings on examination of the chest (tachypnea, damping and/or auscultation of murmurs), signs of systemic disease (systemically unwell and/or temperature >38 °C).

^dIncreased dyspnea, increased expectorate, increased purulence of expectorate. If only two criteria are met, one of them is increased purulence of expectorate.