Pew – Mapping U.S. Geographic Variations in Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing – “The prescribing of antibiotics in outpatient health care facilities, such as primary care clinics and emergency rooms, represents a large proportion of antibiotic use in the United States. One study found that these settings accounted for over 60 percent of all dollars spent on antibiotics in the U.S. in 2009.* Because of this contribution to overall antibiotic prescribing, any efforts to minimize the threat of antibiotic resistance and improve patient safety must focus on improving antibiotic use in outpatient facilities. One important aspect of outpatient antibiotic stewardship is understanding variations in antibiotic prescribing. For example, are patients in certain states prescribed antibiotics at a higher rate than those in other locations? What types of providers account for the largest amount of antibiotic prescribing among outpatients? This type of evaluation affords a better understanding of how antibiotics are prescribed in the United States and also allows for improved targeting of antibiotic stewardship efforts.”