{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nInstitution-specific antibiotic guidelines are core components of effective antibiotic stewardship programs; however, their practical use in emergency departments (EDs), where empirical antibiotic decisions are made under time pressure and diagnostic uncertainty, remains limited. This study explored ED clinicians' perspectives on antibiotic prescribing and identified key elements for developing ED-specific antibiotic guidelines.Materials and methods\n\nFocus group interviews were conducted between October 12 and October 26, 2022, at four tertiary hospitals in Korea. A total of 16 physicians participating directly in ED antibiotic prescribing were enrolled including Emergency medicine and internal medicine physicians. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis by two infectious disease specialists.Results\n\nClinicians reported substantial challenges in prescribing empirical antibiotics, including diagnostic uncertainty, complex clinical scenarios, and practical prescribing issues such as dosing and administration details. Antibiotic decision-making was influenced by patient-related factors and institutional culture, including department-specific prescribing preferences. Existing antibiotic guidelines were infrequently used due to poor usability and limited applicability to real-world ED practice. Participants emphasized the need for concise, algorithm-based guidelines incorporating practical prescribing information and better integration into clinical workflows.Conclusion\n\nED clinicians perceived existing antibiotic guidelines as poorly aligned with ED practice. User-centered, institution-specific antibiotic guidelines may enhance applicability and support appropriate empirical antibiotic prescribing in the ED.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.",
    "Department of Infectious Diseases, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.",
    "Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.",
    "Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.",
    "Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.",
    "Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.",
    "Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.",
    "Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yongin, Korea. AMOMJ@yuhs.ac.",
    "Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sobakas@hanyang.ac.kr."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Heejeong Kwon",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-6227-4478"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Heun Choi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9622-9381"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Soyoon Hwang",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3618-174X"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ki Tae Kwon",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4666-0672"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Song Mi Moon",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1241-4895"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Myung Jin Lee",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8172-8025"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Raeseok Lee",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1168-3666"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Se Yoon Park",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4538-7371"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Yong Chan Kim",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5081-7906"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Bongyoung Kim",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5029-6597"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3sr90k6pxzhzp.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.3947/ic.2026.0044",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13655474",
  "id": "3sr90k6pxzhzp",
  "issns": [
    "2093-2340",
    "2092-6448"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42847633",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2402|Antibiotic Use and Resistance"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7207819386",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13655474?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13655474",
  "pmid": "42847633",
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3sr90k6pxzhzp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42847633",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42847633"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:2402|Antibiotic Use and Resistance",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Emergency Department Clinicians' Needs for User-Centered Antibiotic Guideline: Insights from a Focus Group Interview.",
  "title_text": "Emergency Department Clinicians' Needs for User-Centered Antibiotic Guideline: Insights from a Focus Group Interview.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3sr90k6pxzhzp",
  "venue": "Infection & chemotherapy",
  "versions": []
}