Cooper University Health Care has been awarded the designation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Cooper is one of 101 programs nationwide to have received the designation since the program’s launch in 2017.
Designated hospitals like Cooper have created stewardship programs led by Infectious Disease-trained physicians and pharmacists that advance science in Antimicrobial Resistance 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. Cooper’s Antimicrobial Stewardship program is a multidisciplinary effort and collaboration between infectious diseases physicians and pharmacists.
“Antimicrobial stewardship programs empower our physicians to choose and prescribe the right antibiotics, at the right dose, and for the right duration to increase patient safety and decrease antibiotic resistance,” said Anthony J. Mazzarelli, MD, JD, MBE, co-CEO of Cooper.
“This national designation further demonstrates the expertise of our physicians and pharmacists and their commitment to patient safety, which residents have come to expect from Cooper as the leading academic health system in the region,” said Kevin O’Dowd, JD, co-CEO of Cooper.
“While the world’s attention is rightfully focused on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, drug resistant infections continue. One of IDSA’s top priorities is fighting antimicrobial resistance through research, education, training and policy initiatives. Our Centers of Excellence program honors institutions that have demonstrated leadership in that fight. Cooper and each of the CoE designees serve a critical role in ensuring that we protect the tools we have against resistant infections, setting a high standard for others to follow,” said IDSA President Thomas M. File, Jr., M.D., FIDSA.
To learn more about the IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence program, visit www.idsociety.org/clinical-practice/antimicrobial-stewardship/.
About Cooper University Health Care
Cooper University Health Care is a leading academic health system and the only state-designated Level 1 Trauma Center in South Jersey. Cooper’s mission is to serve, to heal, and to educate. Annually, nearly two million patients visit Cooper’s 700-plus physicians practicing in 75 specialties at more than 100 convenient medical offices and three community based urgent care centers. The Cooper Health Sciences campus is home to Cooper University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper, and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) represents over 12,000 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
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Wendy A. Marano
Public Relations Manager
marano-wendy@cooperhealth.edu
Office: 856.382.6463
Cell: 856.904.1688