Optimizing Antimicrobial Stewardship Across Primary Care Settings: A Multidisciplinary Model Incorporating Prescribing Analytics Physicians, Nursing, Laboratory Technicians, Pharmacists, Epidemiologists And Administrative Oversight

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health emergency and primary care is its front line, where most antibiotics are initiated—often for conditions that are self-limiting or viral. Yet antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in outpatient settings is chronically under-resourced and fragmented compared with hospital programs. This review proposes a comprehensive, analytics-enabled stewardship model for primary care that coordinates physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, epidemiologists, and administrators. We outline role-specific responsibilities, describe how prescribing analytics, rapid diagnostics, and real-time surveillance can drive behavior change, and synthesize design features of successful international programs. We then present an implementation roadmap, equity and ethics considerations, and a research agenda for precision stewardship. Embedding these elements into routine workflows can reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use, improve patient outcomes, and slow the emergence of resistance while aligning with national health strategies and global AMR action plans.