Southcoast Hospitals Group Earns Recognition for Optimal and Responsible Antibiotic Use
Southcoast Health 
This summer Southcoast Hospitals Group, including Charlton Memorial, St. Luke’s and Tobey hospitals, earned a two-year redesignation as an Centro de Excelencia para la Administración Antimicrobiana from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).
This program recognizes medical institutions that have established stewardship programs led by infectious disease physicians and pharmacists to achieve the highest standards aligned with the evidence-based guidelines for antimicrobial medication (antibiotic) use.
Antimicrobial medications are drugs that kill specific germs and bacteria to stop their growth. When antibiotics are used incorrectly, they can cause side effects and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. This happens when germs can overpower the drugs designed to kill them resulting in unsuccessful treatment.
“Our team is constantly evaluating the best practices for antibiotic use and providing education to our staff, pharmacists and patients. It is critical to a patient’s overall health and wellbeing that these medications are used appropriately and only when necessary,” said Ming Da Qu, MD, Infectious Disease Physician at Southcoast Health. “I am incredibly proud of the progress our team has made over the years to make sure our system is committed to providing clinically excellent care in the hospital and outpatient settings.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Joint Commission have set standards for hospitals to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs. The Centers of Excellence designation program from the IDSA aligns with evidence-based national guidelines and the CDC’s Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs.
Since the IDSA program’s launch in 2017, 194 hospitals have received this prestigious designation. This marks the third time Southcoast Health has earned this recognition, having first achieved it in 2019. The designation is a testament to the collaboration among Southcoast Health physicians, providers, nurses, pharmacists, and infection prevention specialists across the health system.
“This recognition demonstrates our commitment to ensuring our patients receive the best care, including appropriate selection, dose, frequency of administration, and duration of therapy of antibiotics,” says Nita George Roy, Pharm.D., RPh, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Southcoast Health. “With a comprehensive team of infectious disease specialists, we apply a multidisciplinary approach to antimicrobial stewardship across the system.”
Para obtener más información sobre el Programa de Administración Antimicrobiana de Southcoast Health, visite Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Southcoast Health – Southcoast Health.
