Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

Antimicrobial stewardship awareness week booth

The goal of our Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) is to ensure the optimal selection, dosage, and duration of antimicrobial treatment are chosen that result in the best outcomes with minimal toxicity to the patient and minimal impact on subsequent resistance.

We tackle the issue of growing antibiotic resistance through a number of initiatives that follow recommendations in the CDC Core Elements of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

Our Current Efforts

  • Pre-authorization of restricted antimicrobials
  • Required indications on orders
  • Prospective audit and feedback for several broad spectrum antimicrobials
  • Automatic stop dates on orders, durations and IV to PO ASP  recommendation charts, antibiogram and PICU specific antibiogra
  • Iintervention for rapid diagnostic blood culture results

Initiatives

Stewie the mascotOur mascot, Stewie, advertises and educates on new  ASP  initiatives.

The Infectious Diseases Fellows are involved in most of the initiatives and play an active role in the  ASP Committee. Involvement includes approving restricted antimicrobials, prospective audit and feedback, DJ at the Children's ASP Annual Bug Bowl, and recommending optimal antimicrobials based on rapid diagnostic results. 

Providers