Terrebonne General Health System Receives the IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence Designation

Pictured L to R: Lacey Baudoin, Dr. Nicole McKee, Laura Melancon, Leslie Martin, and Cindy Duet

Not Pictured: Teresita McNabb, Toni Armstrong, Charlotte Boudreaux, Dana Jackson, Dr. Mary Eschete, and Dawn Richard

Terrebonne General Health System has been awarded the Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence designation by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The designation recognizes Terrebonne General for creating a stewardship program led by infectious diseases-trained physicians and pharmacists that advance science in antimicrobial resistance. Terrebonne General has also achieved standards aligned with evidence-based national guidelines, such as the IDSA-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America guidelines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Core Elements. A total of 177 programs nationwide have received the designation since the program’s launch in 2017, of which Terrebonne General is the only one in the region to achieve.

“I’m proud of our Antimicrobial Stewardship team for achieving this recognition. Meeting the high standards set by the IDSA aligns with our goals and is a true testament to our ongoing efforts of improving antibiotic medication use,” said Phyllis Peoples, President and CEO.

The core criteria Terrebonne General had to achieve for the CoE program emphasizes an institution’s ability to implement stewardship protocols by integrating best practices to slow the emergence of resistance, optimize the treatment of infections, reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use, and to address other challenging areas related to antimicrobial stewardship. A panel of IDSA member experts in antimicrobial stewardship, including ID-trained physicians and ID-trained pharmacists, evaluated Terrebonne General’s CoE application against high-level criteria established by IDSA leadership for determining merit.

“Drug-resistant infections continue to increase,” said IDSA President Steven Schmitt, MD, FIDSA. “As IDSA continues to advocate for passage of the PASTEUR Act and the establishment of a grant program to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals, the Centers of Excellence program recognizes hospitals that are joining us in that fight. We continue to count on each of these Centers of Excellence institutions to showcase the critical value of antimicrobial stewardship. We honor those institutions that have shown innovation and leadership in fighting antimicrobial resistance.”

For more information about the IDSA Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence Designation, visit tghealthsystem.com.