Table 1.

Advantages and Limitations of the Potential Approaches to Creating a LTCF Antibiogram

Approach
Extending the antibiogram data beyond 1 year	Advantages	• Simple and easy to create
		• Accurate susceptibilities over the given time period
	Limitation	• Resistance rates and patterns of bacteria may change from year to year
Creating a regional antibiogram	Advantage	• May be helpful if residents access healthcare facilities throughout that given region
	Limitations	• Requires coordination between multiple microbiology laboratories and healthcare facilities
		• Bacteria that infect residents may not have similar antimicrobial susceptibilities to those of that region’s general population
Using antibiograms of nearby hospitals	Advantage	• Antibiograms that are already annually made by the hospitals could be used
	Limitations	• All residents go to different hospitals
		• Bacteria that infect LTCF residents may not have similar antimicrobial susceptibilities to those of the general hospital population
Collapsed antibiograms	Advantage	• May help guide infection-specific empiric antibiotic choices
	Limitation	• Intrinsic resistance of some bacteria to specific antibiotics would not be listed