Marshfield Medical earns antimicrobial designation

MARSHFIELD – The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has designated Marshfield Medical Center as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence.
The designation recognizes institutions that 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.
“Many of our hospital patients are in a vulnerable heath condition when they come to us,” said Philip (Logan) Whitfield, antimicrobial stewardship coordinator. “By joining this esteemed group of hospitals, we continue to demonstrate that we have high standards of excellence in practicing and implementing stewardship; continue to improve antimicrobial use and reduce resistance and are keeping our hospital safe for patients.”
IDSA 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.
The core criteria for the Center of Excellence 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.
According to IDSA, more than 700,000 people die annually due to antimicrobial-resistant infections.