antimicrobial stewardship

October 2, 2024

VUMC awarded PCORI funding to improve antibiotic prescribing for childhood respiratory infections

The pediatric outpatient antibiotic stewardship project is the first implementation project funded at VUMC as part of the PCORI Health Systems Implementation Initiative, which aims to reduce the estimated 17-year gap between evidence publication and clinical application.

By Leigh MacMillan
November 17, 2022

Improving awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance is crucial

The Vanderbilt Antimicrobial Stewardship Program provides oversight of antimicrobial therapies for both inpatient and outpatient populations.

By Jessica Pasley
September 29, 2022

Penicillin delabeling initiative expanding to more patient care areas

Efforts to correct mistaken or outdated penicillin allergy records are destined to spread to more patient care areas at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

By Paul Govern
Vanderbilt Antimicrobial Stewardship Program personnel include (front row, from left) Chelsea Gorsline, MD, Sophie Katz, MD, Gowri Satyanarayana, MD. Not pictured, Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD, Jessica Gillon, PharmD, (back row, from left) Milner Staub, MD, George Nelson, MD, Ben Ereshefsky, PharmD, and Jeff Frieberg, MD, PhD.
February 17, 2022

VUMC recognized for antimicrobial drug stewardship efforts

By Paul Govern
Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD, and her colleagues are studying a new way to determine whether antibiotics will be effective against certain bacterial infections.
December 7, 2021

VUMC awarded CDC funding to combat antimicrobial resistance, infectious diseases

Vanderbilt has partnered with the CDC to combat the crisis of antimicrobial resistance and other healthcare threats through a newly created Global Action in Healthcare Network (GAIHN).

By Jessica Pasley
November 18, 2021

Antimicrobial stewardship effort expanding reach

The Vanderbilt Antimicrobial Stewardship Program recently expanded to the outpatient realm to provide more support for providers to optimize antibiotic use and delivery in the clinic setting.

By Jessica Pasley
April 9, 2020

Katz awarded LEAP Fellowship to improve antibiotic use in Tennessee

Sophie Katz, MD, MPH, is one of four early career infectious diseases physicians in the United States to receive the award, which provides $100,000 of funding support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By Leigh MacMillan
January 29, 2020

Study tracks causes of high antibiotic prescribing rates in Tennessee

For a few years, Tennessee has been ranked as one of the highest antibiotic prescribing states in the nation, and a recent study showing that fewer than 2% of clinicians were responsible for prescribing 25% of pediatric antibiotics is moving some to action.
By Jessica Pasley
June 7, 2018

How providers receive feedback plays crucial role in antimicrobial stewardship programs

Antimicrobial resistance continues to increase, and antimicrobial stewardship programs are developing plans to report antimicrobial use in order to reduce and optimize the use of antibiotics.
By Matt Batcheldor
November 30, 2017

Study uses decision support to reduce unneeded lab tests

Diarrhea has many causes, and when there are prolonged or severe symptoms clinicians sometimes consider lab testing to help guide treatment. But sometimes they stray from published guidelines in the direction of overtesting.
By Paul Govern
May 4, 2017

New test rapidly identifies cause of blood infections

Last month, Vanderbilt Clinical Laboratories introduced rapid molecular diagnostic testing to more quickly identify microorganisms that may be causing a patient’s bloodstream infection, along with the organism’s susceptibility to drugs.
By Paul Govern
November 10, 2016

Program seeks to optimize appropriate use of antibiotics

Relying on a core team of physicians and pharmacists, the Vanderbilt Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (VASP) is seeking to ensure optimum use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).
By Paul Govern