Last reviewed
2026-02-06
Workflow pack
UTI/RTI antimicrobial stewardship workflow
Pragmatic outpatient pathway for common infection visits emphasizing stewardship and safety-netting.
Trust and governance
Use only within this workflow's defined scope and exclusions.
Clinical owner
Family Medicine Editorial Team
Risk tier
Medium
Review cadence
Every 6 months
Next due 2026-08-06
Review status
Current
Scope limits
Uncomplicated outpatient infection workflow emphasizing antimicrobial stewardship.
Exclusions (escalate/redirect)
- Sepsis concern or unstable host status.
- Complex immunocompromised inpatient-level infection care.
References
Escalate-now emphasis (medium-risk workflow)
Treat red-flag findings as urgent. Escalate the care pathway early if concern persists or follow-up reliability is uncertain.
At a glance
Rapid decision framing for in-visit use. Educational only; always apply clinical judgment.
Immediate actions
- Determine severity, systemic illness signs, and host risk factors up front.
- Assess whether immediate antibiotics are indicated versus watchful strategy.
- Confirm allergy profile, renal function concerns, and prior antimicrobial exposure.
Red flags / escalate now
- Sepsis concern, unstable vitals, dehydration, or inability to tolerate oral intake.
- High-risk host factors with rapid deterioration or treatment failure.
- Worsening symptoms despite initial management requiring escalation.
First-line plan
- Use syndrome-specific first-line options and shortest effective durations.
- Document clear indication and stop/review plan whenever prescribing antibiotics.
- Provide explicit delayed-prescription or reassessment criteria when appropriate.
Follow-up and monitoring
- Arrange rapid reassessment if symptoms worsen or fail to improve as expected.
- Reinforce return precautions and hydration/self-care guidance.
- Escalate to referral/ED pathway when complications emerge.
Condition guidance
Prescribing aids
Referral checklists
Tools and calculators
Patient handouts
Screening and prevention
Return precautions (patient script)
Suggested plain-language wording for safety-net counseling:
If symptoms get worse, new warning signs appear, or you cannot follow the plan from this visit, seek urgent care now.
- Use with the specific red flags listed on this page.
- Confirm follow-up timing and where to go after-hours.
- Document that return precautions were reviewed and understood.
Visit-close checklist
- Document disposition, rationale, and unresolved diagnostic uncertainty.
- Give explicit return precautions and follow-up timeline before ending visit.
- Attach a relevant handout when available to reinforce adherence and safety-netting.