Washington Regional Earns Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence Designation Renewal
Washington Regional Medical Center has successfully earned renewal of its designation as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence (CoE) by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Washington Regional is one of only two hospitals in Arkansas and one of only 177 hospitals in the United States to hold the prestigious CoE designation. Washington Regional has now achieved CoE status for three consecutive award intervals and is the only hospital in the state that has received three CoE designations.
Antimicrobial stewardship refers to the steps taken by a health care system to ensure the safe and appropriate use of antibiotics. The objective of stewardship programs is to improve patient outcomes while reducing antibiotic resistance, health care-associated infections, and overall health care costs. Stewardship programs ensure patients receive the right antibiotic, at the right dosage, at the right time and for the right duration. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named antibiotic resistance as one of the largest public health challenges. The CDC estimates that each year in the United States, 2.8 million people will contract an antibiotic-resistant infection and 35,000 of those people will die.
The CoE program was launched by the IDSA in 2017 and is reserved for those hospitals whose stewardship programs have achieved quality standards set by the CDC and IDSA. This designation is considered the industry’s gold standard in antimicrobial stewardship. Washington Regional’s stewardship program was established in 2012 and is led by infectious disease specialist Buddy Newton, MD, who also co-chairs the Arkansas Department of Health’s subcommittee for antimicrobial stewardship. Washington Regional first achieved CoE status in 2018. “It is an honor to be recognized for our commitment to establishing and following best practices when prescribing antimicrobials for the third consecutive renewal period,” Newton said. “Our goal is to provide quality care and ensure that these life-saving medicines will be available for future generations, helping us fulfill our mission of improving the health of people in the communities we serve. Washington Regional’s physicians, pharmacists and leadership team remain committed to antimicrobial stewardship.”