Sollis Perspectives

Sollis Perspectives

hero

Medical Update

How Unnecessary Antibiotics Are Fueling a Growing Threat

Author:

author

Dr. Scott Braunstein

Published: Oct 26, 2026

Updated: Oct 26, 2026

A few weeks ago, I saw a patient who requested antibiotics for a sinus infection before an upcoming event. A thorough evaluation suggested that this patient had a virus, not a bacterial infection—meaning that antibiotics wouldn’t help. They wanted to know if they could still have the antibiotics “just in case.” 



The instinct to reach for antibiotics "just in case" is understandable. But it's also one of the biggest drivers of a problem that's reshaping modern medicine on a global scale: antibiotic resistance.  



This month, I’m exploring this problem and what healthcare providers can do to combat it. It starts with giving patients and doctors more time together.  

In this article:

What Is Antibiotic Resistance?
The Problem Is Getting Worse
How Do We Solve Antibiotic Resistance?  
How Sollis Is Built to Address Antibiotic Resistance 

What Is Antibiotic Resistance?

Antibiotic resistance (AR) happens when bacteria evolve to survive the drugs designed to kill them. Every time an antibiotic is used, it kills the susceptible bacteria—but the ones that survive and multiply create more antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The more often this happens, the less effective antibiotics become for that patient and the general population.



The biggest accelerant of AR? Using antibiotics when we don't need them. Antibiotics only work against bacterial infections, not viral ones like colds, flu, or most sore throats and bronchitis cases.

 

When a patient is prescribed antibiotics for a viral illness because they want them “just in case” or because the doctor can't correctly diagnose them, the drug does nothing for the infection itself—but it can still cause AR. Resistant infections can be difficult, or even impossible, to treat. 

The Problem Is Getting Worse

At least 28% of antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings are unnecessary, according to the CDC. The consequences are serious: more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections—caused by "superbugs" like C. diff and MRSA—occur in the U.S. every year. A 2024 study in The Lancet found that more than 39 million people around the world could die from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years. 

 

While overprescription of antibiotics is a problem in every healthcare context, it happens most often in urgent and emergency care settings. In 2018, a CDC-funded study found that among patients who visited urgent care centers for antibiotic-inappropriate respiratory problems like bronchitis, flu, or asthma, almost 46% were incorrectly prescribed antibiotics. That’s nearly half.  

How Do We Solve Antibiotic Resistance?  

Antibiotics tend to be overprescribed when there are limited opportunities for follow-up with the patient, time constraints during appointments, and less access to rapid testing for more accurate diagnostics—all of which are unfortunately the norm in fast-paced, overwhelmed urgent cares and emergency departments.  



AR isn’t happening because doctors or patients don’t care: it’s because most urgent care providers have limited time and resources, and prescribing an antibiotic often feels like the safest approach. 

Get the Best Care at a Moment's Notice

Join Now

How Sollis Is Built to Address Antibiotic Resistance 

A rushed, 10-minute visit with no diagnostic clarity means "just in case" antibiotic prescriptions are going to keep happening, regardless of whether it’s the right path to recovery.  



When Sollis members come to us with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection, our clinicians leave nothing to chance. In addition to offering antigen and PCR testing with results in 15 minutes, our clinicians use cutting-edge technology like FebriDx®, a tool that helps determine whether an infection is bacterial, to ensure that antibiotics are reserved for the infections that actually need them.* 



Thoughtful, unhurried medicine isn’t just more comfortable for our patients and clinicians. It means fewer unnecessary prescriptions, less pressure on the antibiotics we depend on, and better outcomes for everyone.  

 

*FebriDx® is only approved for patients 12-64 years old with certain symptoms. For those who don't qualify, Sollis would proceed with a thorough evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment, ensuring the best possible care.

Experience Exceptional Care

Experience 24/7 access to board-certified physicians, advanced diagnostics, and concierge-level urgent and emergency care.

Join Now
Share
Post
LinkedIn

Experience Exceptional Care

Experience 24/7 access to board-certified physicians, advanced diagnostics, and concierge-level urgent and emergency care.

Join Now
Share
Post
LinkedIn
hero

Medical Update

How Unnecessary Antibiotics Are Fueling a Growing Threat

Author:

author

Dr. Scott Braunstein

Published:

Oct 26, 2026

Updated:

Oct 26, 2026

A few weeks ago, I saw a patient who requested antibiotics for a sinus infection before an upcoming event. A thorough evaluation suggested that this patient had a virus, not a bacterial infection—meaning that antibiotics wouldn’t help. They wanted to know if they could still have the antibiotics “just in case.” 



The instinct to reach for antibiotics "just in case" is understandable. But it's also one of the biggest drivers of a problem that's reshaping modern medicine on a global scale: antibiotic resistance.  



This month, I’m exploring this problem and what healthcare providers can do to combat it. It starts with giving patients and doctors more time together.  

In this article:

What Is Antibiotic Resistance?

Antibiotic resistance (AR) happens when bacteria evolve to survive the drugs designed to kill them. Every time an antibiotic is used, it kills the susceptible bacteria—but the ones that survive and multiply create more antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The more often this happens, the less effective antibiotics become for that patient and the general population.



The biggest accelerant of AR? Using antibiotics when we don't need them. Antibiotics only work against bacterial infections, not viral ones like colds, flu, or most sore throats and bronchitis cases.

 

When a patient is prescribed antibiotics for a viral illness because they want them “just in case” or because the doctor can't correctly diagnose them, the drug does nothing for the infection itself—but it can still cause AR. Resistant infections can be difficult, or even impossible, to treat. 

The Problem Is Getting Worse

At least 28% of antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings are unnecessary, according to the CDC. The consequences are serious: more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections—caused by "superbugs" like C. diff and MRSA—occur in the U.S. every year. A 2024 study in The Lancet found that more than 39 million people around the world could die from antibiotic-resistant infections over the next 25 years. 

 

While overprescription of antibiotics is a problem in every healthcare context, it happens most often in urgent and emergency care settings. In 2018, a CDC-funded study found that among patients who visited urgent care centers for antibiotic-inappropriate respiratory problems like bronchitis, flu, or asthma, almost 46% were incorrectly prescribed antibiotics. That’s nearly half.  

How Do We Solve Antibiotic Resistance?  

Antibiotics tend to be overprescribed when there are limited opportunities for follow-up with the patient, time constraints during appointments, and less access to rapid testing for more accurate diagnostics—all of which are unfortunately the norm in fast-paced, overwhelmed urgent cares and emergency departments.  



AR isn’t happening because doctors or patients don’t care: it’s because most urgent care providers have limited time and resources, and prescribing an antibiotic often feels like the safest approach. 

Get the Best Care at a Moment's Notice

Join Now

How Sollis Is Built to Address Antibiotic Resistance 

A rushed, 10-minute visit with no diagnostic clarity means "just in case" antibiotic prescriptions are going to keep happening, regardless of whether it’s the right path to recovery.  



When Sollis members come to us with symptoms of an acute respiratory infection, our clinicians leave nothing to chance. In addition to offering antigen and PCR testing with results in 15 minutes, our clinicians use cutting-edge technology like FebriDx®, a tool that helps determine whether an infection is bacterial, to ensure that antibiotics are reserved for the infections that actually need them.* 



Thoughtful, unhurried medicine isn’t just more comfortable for our patients and clinicians. It means fewer unnecessary prescriptions, less pressure on the antibiotics we depend on, and better outcomes for everyone.  

 

*FebriDx® is only approved for patients 12-64 years old with certain symptoms. For those who don't qualify, Sollis would proceed with a thorough evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment, ensuring the best possible care.

Experience Exceptional Care

Experience 24/7 access to board-certified physicians, advanced diagnostics, and concierge-level urgent and emergency care.

Join Now
Share
Post
LinkedIn