STPH Named Center of Excellence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 11, 2019
IDSA Confers Center of Excellence Designation on STPH
Antimicrobial Stewardship Lauded at St. Tammany Parish Hospital
COVINGTON – St. Tammany Parish Hospital has been named a Center of Excellence for Antimicrobial Stewardship by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).
St. Tammany Parish Hospital is one of only 64 programs nationwide to earn IDSA Center of Excellence (CoE) since the program’s launch in 2017. The program recognizes institutions that have created stewardship programs led by infectious diseases physicians and ID-trained pharmacists that are of the highest quality and have achieved standards aligned with evidence-based national guidelines such as the IDSA-SHEA guidelines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements.
“Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats facing healthcare on a global, national and individual level. In fact, antibiotic-resistant infections are the third leading cause of death in this country. IDSA is fighting antimicrobial resistance on every front, including research, education, training, and through our policy efforts. IDSA is proud to partner with St. Tammany Parish Hospital and others that have received the Centers of Excellence designation in turning the tide against antimicrobial resistance,” said IDSA President Cynthia Sears, MD, FIDSA.
The core criteria for the CoE program place emphasis on an institution’s ability to implement stewardship protocols to optimize the treatment of infections and reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use by leveraging electronic health record systems and providing ongoing education to help clinicians improve the quality of patient care and promote patient safety. A panel of esteemed IDSA member leaders evaluate CoE applications against core criteria to make recommendations for the designation. The panel is comprised of five ID-trained physicians and three ID-trained pharmacists with many years of expert stewardship experience.
To learn more about the IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence program, visit www.idsociety.org/clinical-practice/antimicrobial-stewardship/.
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ABOUT STPH: A full-service acute care facility committed to providing world-class healthcare and the latest technology, St. Tammany Parish Hospital delivers today’s life-improving procedures with the utmost care to area residents with emphasis on wellness, preventive care and disease management close to home. STPH is recognized for quality, safety and the patient experience by CareChex, Leapfrog, Healthgrades, Hospital Compare, Women’s Choice and US News & World Report. St. Tammany Parish Hospital is an independent service district in a clinically integrated partnership with Ochsner Health System. Together, the two organizations focus on aligning their healthcare offerings to best serve patients and families in west St. Tammany and surrounding areas. Under their agreement, the two organizations retain their autonomy; neither partner manages nor owns the other. STPH is a self-supporting not-for-profit community hospital; it receives no tax funding. Learn more at stph.org.
ABOUT IDSA: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) represents physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. IDSA’s 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. www.idsociety.org