11 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 11 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 173 programs nationwide have received the designation since the program's launch in 2017.

"Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats facing health care on a global, national and individual level," said IDSA President Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA. "IDSA continues to prioritize combating antimicrobial resistance on every front, including research, education, training and through our policy efforts. We are proud to partner with each of the institutions that have received the Center of Excellence designation that have shown innovation and leadership in fighting antimicrobial resistance."

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:

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Medical City
Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Cohen Children's Medical Center
Queens, NY

Staten Island University Hospital
Staten Island, NY

East Jefferson General Hospital
Metairie, LA

Le Bonheur Children's Hospital
Memphis, TN

Mosaic Life Care
Saint Joseph, MO

Tampa General Hospital
Tampa, FL

Emory University Hospital Midtown
Atlanta, GA

New York City Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
Queens, NY

University Hospital
Newark, NJ

Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital
San Antonio, TX

About IDSA
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000-plus clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity's smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Visit idsociety.org to learn more.