Better Antimicrobial Resistance Data Analysis & Reporting in Less Time

Background: Insights and knowledge about local antimicrobial resistance (AMR) levels and epidemiology are essential to guide optimal decision-making processes in antimicrobial use. However, dedicated tools for reliable and reproducible AMR data analysis and reporting are often lacking. In this study, we aimed at comparing the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional analysis and reporting versus a new approach for reliable and reproducible AMR data analysis in a clinical setting. Methods: Ten professionals that routinely work with AMR data were recruited and provided with one year's blood culture test results from a tertiary care hospital results including antimicrobial susceptibility test results. Participants were asked to perform a detailed AMR data analysis in a two-round process: first using their analysis software of choice and next using previously developed open-source software tools. Accuracy of the results and time spent were compared between the both rounds. Finally, participants rated the usability of the tools using the systems usability scale (SUS). Results: The mean time spent on creating a comprehensive AMR report reduced from 93.7 (SD {+/-}21.6) minutes to 22.4 (SD {+/-}13.7) minutes (p < 0.001). Average task completion per round changed from 56% (SD: {+/-}23%) to 96% (SD: {+/-}5.5%) (p<0.05). The proportion of correct answers in the available results increased from 37.9% in the first to 97.9% in the second round (p < 0.001). The usability of the new tools was rated with a median of 83.8 (out of 100) on the SUS. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the significant improvement in efficiency and accuracy in standard AMR data analysis and reporting workflows through open-source software tools in a clinical setting. Integrating these tools in clinical settings can democratise the access to fast and reliable insights about local microbial epidemiology and associated AMR levels. Thereby, our approach can support evidence-based decision-making processes in the use of antimicrobials.