Statewide Antibiotic Stewardship Initiative for Acute Care NC hospitals

The NC Division of Public Health’s (DPH) Surveillance for Healthcare Associated and Resistant Pathogens Patient Safety (SHARPPS) Program has a statewide antibiotic stewardship initiative for acute care hospitals in North Carolina, Stewardship of Antibiotic Resources (STAR) Partners. This is a multi-tiered recognition and mentorship program that encourages development and implementation of stewardship programs in hospitals across North Carolina, and also allows DPH to examine the types of stewardship interventions being implemented in our state. This initiative was rolled out in July 2018, and since that time, six NC facilities have become STAR Partners already (see the list of participating hospitals on the page linked above). Some facilities may be waiting until further interventions are implemented to meet a specific initial STAR Partner level. DPH encourages all facilities to apply at the current qualification level as this will bring the recognition hospitals currently deserve, help to build a statewide stewardship network and allow DPH to track how stewardship program implementation is changing over time in NC. Questions? Contact james.w.lewis@dhhs.nc.gov.