Five Institutions Receive the IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence Designation

The Infectious Diseases Society of America announced today the recipients of its Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence designation. The five awarded institutions have created stewardship programs led by infectious diseases-trained physicians and pharmacists that advance science in antimicrobial resistance. The institutions also have achieved standards aligned with evidence-based national guidelines, such as the IDSA-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America guidelines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements. A total of 150 programs nationwide have received the designation since the program’s launch in 2017.

“With rates of antimicrobial-resistant infections rising quickly, changes are urgently needed to protect public health, and IDSA remains committed to combatting antimicrobial resistance at every level,” said Daniel P. McQuillen, MD, FIDSA, president of IDSA. “By recognizing and honoring these institutions who have achieved high standards in their stewardship programs, we are building a community and advancing stewardship efforts at U.S. health care facilities. With the release of a new CDC report stating antimicrobial-resistant infections and deaths rose 15% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more pivotal time to partner with each of the institutions that have received the Centers of Excellence designation.”

The core criteria for the CoE program place emphasis on an institution’s ability to implement stewardship protocols by integrating best practices to slow the emergence of resistance, optimize the treatment of infections, reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use and address other challenging areas related to antimicrobial stewardship. A panel of IDSA member experts in antimicrobial stewardship, including ID-trained physicians and ID-trained pharmacists, evaluate CoE applications against high-level criteria established by IDSA leadership for determining merit.

The institutions recently awarded the CoE designation are:

Baptist Health Louisville
Louisville, KY

Renown Regional Medical Center            
Reno, NV

Mayo Clinic - La Crosse
La Crosse, WI

St. Mary's Hospital         
Richmond Heights, MO

Steward Health Care’s St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
Boston, MA

About IDSA
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is a community of over 12,000 physicians, scientists, and public health experts who specialize in infectious diseases. Its purpose is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases. Learn more at https://www.idsociety.org/.