The University of North Carolina Medical Center (UNCMC) was awarded Advanced STAR Partner Status for antimicrobial stewardship as part of the STewardship of Antimicrobial Resources (STAR) Partners Initiative through the State of North Carolina Surveillance for Healthcare-Associated Infections and Resistant Pathogens Patient Safety (NC SHARPPS) Program. UNCMC is the only hospital in the Triangle region of the state to achieve this level of recognition. UNCMC’s Carolina Antimicrobial Stewardship Program is under the medical co-direction of Nikolaos Mavrogiorgos, MD and Jonathan J. Juliano, MD, MSPH and the pharmacy lead is Lindsay Daniels, PharmD.
To address the critical need for optimizing antimicrobial use to improve patient care and limit antimicrobial resistance, the STAR Partners Initiative is partnering with health facilities statewide to both promote and implement stewardship interventions within their facilities, as well as mentor facilities that are newer to antimicrobial stewardship. Participation in the partnership requires meeting requirements for different levels of antimicrobial stewardship implementation. All STAR partners must complete an annual survey which allows NC SHARPPS to monitor stewardship activities throughout North Carolina and verify that facility stewardship programs continue to meet the requirements of their recognized level.
UNCMC’s recognition reflects an established and active stewardship program in the facility. UNCMC will continue to collaborate with the State through this program to promote evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship practices.