JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Mayo Clinic in Florida has been recognized as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) ― the only hospital in North Florida to hold that designation. This designation recognizes Mayo Clinic's optimal antimicrobial use and ongoing efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.
"We are honored to receive the IDSA Center of Excellence designation," says Julio Mendez, M.D., chair of Mayo Clinic Florida's Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. "It is a testament to the high standard of care we provide to patients in North Florida, made possible through the collaborative, multidisciplinary way we practice medicine at Mayo Clinic."
Mayo Clinic in Florida is one of only 131 programs worldwide to have received the designation since the program's launch in 2017. This distinction is awarded to hospitals that have successfully implemented an antimicrobial stewardship program, achieving the highest standards set by the joint guidelines of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Mayo Clinic in Rochester and Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, were named to the list in 2020.
Mayo Clinic's Enterprise Antimicrobial Stewardship Program provides leadership across the institution, enhancing Mayo's ability to adhere to infectious diseases guidelines and meet The Joint Commission's antimicrobial stewardship standards. Clinical pharmacists collaborate with the chairs in each region served by Mayo Clinic, along with administrative partners and other staff.
"Our goal is to improve patient outcomes while limiting unintended consequences, such as emergent antibiotic resistance or toxicity," says Dr. Mendez. "In antimicrobial stewardship, we continually advance the quality and safety of patient care, while concurrently reducing the overall cost of care.
"Continuing education and outreach among our providers and vigilance for each patient receiving antibiotics are the hallmarks of our program," says Kevin Epps, Pharm.D., vice chair of Mayo Clinic in Florida's Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. "We are able to prevent many readmissions, and reduce length of stay and mortality, by following antimicrobial stewardship principles."
