The Infectious Diseases Society of America launched its Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence program and named the first recipients of the designation.
The society recognized Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. and Summa Health of Akron, Ohio as Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence.
The program "recognizes institutions that achieve standards established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for antimicrobial stewardship programs led by infectious diseases (ID) physicians and ID-trained pharmacists."
A workgroup of infectious diseases physicians and ID-trained pharmacists developed the core criteria for the program, which builds on criteria for the CDC's Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. The core elements program focuses on how facilities implement stewardship protocols, use EHRs and provide continual staff education.