Antibiotic Stewardship Program

What is antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic resistance occurs when drugs (antibiotics) are no longer able to kill bacteria that cause infection. It is one of the greatest public health challenges facing the world today and impacts our ability to successfully treat certain types of infections.

In the United States, antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause more than:

• 2.8 million infections per year
• 35,000 deaths per year

Improper use of antibiotics is one of the leading causes of antibiotic resistance. Optimizing how antibiotics are prescribed through antimicrobial stewardship can reduce the chances of resistance occurring, and reduces other harms caused by unnecessary antibiotic use such as side effects and increased healthcare costs.

What is antibiotic stewardship?

Antimicrobial stewardship is ensuring that patients are only given antibiotics for diagnoses that have clinical evidence to support their use. And when patients do receive antibiotics, stewardship is making sure they receive the correct antibiotic for their specific type of infection, at the right dose and for the right amount of time.

What does the antibiotic stewardship program at Trinity Health Of New England do?

Trinity Health Of New England/Saint Francis Hospital has had an active antibiotic stewardship program since 2014. It is a joint initiative between the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Pharmacy. The program works collaboratively with clinicians and staff from a variety of disciplines and departments to:

1. Ensure antimicrobials are being used correctly in our patients
2. Improve patient outcomes
3. Slow the development of antimicrobial resistance

The program is responsible for the following:

• Developing policies and initiatives to promote appropriate use of antibiotics
• Assisting clinicians with antibiotic selection and clinical decision making
• Monitoring and tracking resistance trends, antibiotic use and prescribing practices
• Providing education on correct antibiotic use for clinicians, hospital staff and patients
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and the CDC’s Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs

Antibiotic Stewardship Program Leadership:

Jessica Abrantes-Figueiredo, MD
Section Chief Of Infectious Diseases

Dora Wiskrichen, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist

IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence Designation

Trinity Health Of New England/Saint Francis Hospital is proud to have the IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence Designation. The core criteria for the CoE 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, and reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use and other challenging areas related to antimicrobial stewardship.

Antibiotic Stewardship Resources for Patients:

• How Antibiotic Resistance Happens (CDC)
• Improving Antibiotic Use (CDC)
• Antibiotics Aren't Always the Answer (CDC)
• You've Been Prescribed an Antibiotic in the Hospital for an Infection (CDC)

Antibiotic Stewardship Resources for Healthcare Providers:

• Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship (CDC)
• Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2019 (CDC)
• CDC's Antibiotic Stewardship Training Series (CDC)
• Infectious Disease Society of America Clinical Practice Guidelines (IDSA)