Urgent Care Association Addressing Antibiotic Stewardship with Industry Partners
WARRENVILLE, Ill. (PRWEB) July 10, 2018 -- Next week, the Urgent Care Association (UCA) will sponsor and attend an industry summit to discuss the importance of antibiotic stewardship in the outpatient setting to reduce the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Also attending the meeting will be representatives from the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center (ARAC) at Milken Institute of Public Health at George Washington University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM) and the Urgent Care Foundation (UCF). The meeting will kick off on Sunday, July 15, in Atlanta, Ga.
“Antibiotic resistance is a critical public health threat that must be countered with strong antibiotic stewardship efforts across the entire healthcare industry,” said Laurel Stoimenoff, CEO of UCA. “Through our three-year partnership with ARAC, we are striving to ensure urgent care is an industry leader in antibiotic stewardship through strategy, communication and education to our members and the healthcare community at-large.”
To assist members in developing and implementing internal antibiotic stewardship policies, CUCM created a toolkit highlighting best practices for on-demand providers to exercise when prescribing antibiotics.
“CUCM has developed this toolkit as a resource for healthcare providers and for patient education,” said Jasmeet Singh Bhogal, MD, President of CUCM. “Antibiotic Stewardship is impacting all aspects of healthcare, and it will be important to help providers and patients work in cooperation to develop care options so as to cultivate sustainable changes to current antibiotic prescribing practices.”
The framework for the toolkit is based on the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which include:
- Commitment: Demonstrate commitment at the clinical and facility level to ensure consistency.
- Action: Develop evidence-based plans and policies to promote antibiotic stewardship.
- Tracking and Reporting: Perform regular audits and provide feedback to guide quality improvement in responsible antibiotic prescribing practices.
- Education and Expertise: Utilize available resources to develop expertise and educate patients on the importance of antibiotic stewardship.
“We take antibiotic stewardship very seriously due to the volume of patients presenting to urgent care centers and other outpatient settings each and every day,” said Dr. Sean McNeeley, President of UCA and board member of the CUCM. “This toolkit is designed to provide a foundation for healthcare organizations and providers looking to create or improve an antibiotic stewardship protocol to combat resistance. We will continue to focus on antibiotic stewardship and appreciate the commitment our members have made to responsible antibiotic prescribing.”
The CUCM was developed in cooperation with UCA, and the two organizations work collaboratively to advance knowledge, management principles and organizational philosophies in the field of on-demand care through biannual clinical conferences and a monthly newsletter dedicated entirely to urgent care medicine.
The UCF is a nonprofit organization devoted to the support of education, research and awareness of urgent care medicine. In affiliation with UCA and the CUCM, the UCF receives, administers and disburses funds for clinical and health services research, educational development and humanitarian healthcare efforts directly related to on-demand care.
To download the CUCM Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit, please visit http://www.ucaoa.org/antibioticsteward.
About the Urgent Care Association
The Urgent Care Association (UCA) is a membership association of leaders, providers and suppliers in the field of on-demand, consumer-focused healthcare. UCA advances the industry and supports member success through advocacy, research, education, collaboration and high standards of care. The association maintains an active online presence and member community for daily exchange of best practices. For more information visit http://www.gateway2better.org.
Mary Velan, L.C. Williams and Associates, +1 (312) 565-3900, [email protected]
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