OPELIKA, Ala.—East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) has been awarded the Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence designation by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our entire team in protecting patients and responsibly using antimicrobials to ensure the best outcomes,” said Chuck Beams, East Alabama Health’s chief pharmacy officer. “At its core, stewardship is about doing what’s right for our patients and our community, and this just intensifies our commitment to that mission.”
EAMC was one of eight hospitals to recently earn the designation. A total of 195 programs nationwide have received the designation since the program’s launch in 2017.
Antimicrobial stewardship refers to strategies and initiatives aimed at improving the usage of antimicrobial medications such as antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals. The designation recognizes EAMC as having created a stewardship program led by infectious diseases-trained physicians and pharmacists that advance science in antimicrobial resistance.
As a Center of Excellence, EAMC has upheld standards aligned with evidence-based national guidelines, such as the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America guidelines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements.
“Solving the next public health emergency starts with addressing the threat of antimicrobial resistance at every level,” said IDSA President Tina Tan, MD. “By recognizing and honoring these eight institutions that have achieved high standards in their stewardship programs, we are taking necessary steps to protect life-saving antimicrobials at U.S. health care facilities.”
The core criteria for the Center of Excellence program places 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 Center of Excellence applications against high-level criteria established by IDSA leadership for determining merit.
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About East Alabama Health
East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital that is currently under construction to add 30 critical care beds. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.