Urinary Tract Infections

Evolving Strategies for Identifying and Treating Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections: Filling the Gaps Across Clinical Settings

Train the Trainer

Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are one of the most common infections in outpatient settings with over one-half of women experiencing an infection during their lifetime. A uUTI diagnosis is clinical, relying on patient-reported symptoms. Laboratory testing is not required for a diagnosis of uUTI, yet clinicians must identify clinical scenarios in which it might be useful and demonstrate competency with interpretation of results. If left untreated or if treatment fails, uUTIs can lead to more serious complications such as kidney or bloodstream infections, requiring hospitalization and increasing mortality.

uUTIs are a frequent indication for antibiotics in healthy individuals. Although antimicrobial stewardship programs ensure the optimal selection, dosing, and duration of antimicrobial treatment, such programs are often not in place in outpatient settings where the bulk of antibiotic prescribing occurs. Empirical antibiotic therapy for uUTIs is often initiated based on clinical presentation and local antibiotic resistance patterns. The rise of antibiotic resistance has limited the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics, leading to the introduction of new antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action to improve activity against multidrug resistant strains in uUTIs.

Pharmacists play a critical role in monitoring local antibiotic resistance patterns, optimizing antibiotic use, and educating patients. This personalized training program, leveraging ACHL’s AdaptED® platform , was designed to support pharmacists who engage patients with uUTIs. Tailored training along with resources and tools are provided to assist with diagnostic uncertainty and optimal selection of antimicrobial treatment to improve outcomes and ensure adherence while mitigating recurrence and antimicrobial resistance.

Learners who complete the training can download expert-developed educational content and practical resources to facilitate peer-to-peer learning within their team and enhance protocols related to the management of uUTIs.

Faculty: Kalpana Gupta, MD; Charles Vega, MD, FAAFP; Zachary Nelson, PharmD, MPH

Release Date: February 24, 2026

Expiration Date: February 24, 2027