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.
Next useful actions
Keep moving without restarting the search.
These are the most likely next clicks after opening this workflow.
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.