Antimicrobial stewardship and hospital epidemiology

The antimicrobial stewardship and hospital epidemiology teams encompass multidisciplinary clinical, research, and educational goals to improve patient outcomes at Yale New Haven Health.

1. To promote healthcare quality and patient safety by preventing healthcare acquired infections in patients and staff
2. To foster an academic environment that advances the fields of antimicrobial stewardship and hospital epidemiology
3. To align with trainees and faculty in promoting the education of antimicrobial stewardship and hospital epidemiology

The hospital epidemiology team supports a program of surveillance for healthcare associated infections, including central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), surgical site infection (SSI), and C. difficile infection. Additionally, the team works to identify infections that may put patients and staff at risk and helps to foster a safer healthcare environment through collaboration with YNHH Quality and Safety. The Antimicrobial Stewardship Team (AST) performs prospective and retrospective review of targeted antimicrobials to optimize patient care and to minimize the development of resistance and adverse effects from antimicrobials such as C. difficile infection. The AST works closely with the microbiology laboratory’s rapid diagnostic testing program to provide real time treatment recommendations for clinically significant results. Also, the AST monitors and reports antimicrobial utilization across YNHH to evaluate stewardship efforts and to identify new stewardship opportunities. From these efforts, the AST conduct clinical quality improvement research of their stewardship endeavors as well as conducts work-related antimicrobial and/or infection diseases specific research.

Faculty are engaged in a variety of projects supported through agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Areas of research focus include developing tools for high impact pathogen surveillance, training, emergency response, and optimizing antimicrobial usage. Faculty also hold leadership positions on national committees including the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

The antimicrobial stewardship and hospital epidemiology teams have supported fellows, residents, and students of medical, public health, and pharmacy backgrounds. Faculty are involved in coordinating the academic development of trainees through didactic sessions and frequent clinical collaboration.

A dedicated Antimicrobial stewardship and Hospital Epidemiology second year Academic Clinician Track is available through the Yale ID Fellowship. The overall goal of the track is to allow fellows to develop proficiency in infection prevention and/or antimicrobial stewardship based on the individual fellow’s focus and its application in a modern healthcare setting through the provision of a wide variety of in-depth experiences and training opportunities. Fellows completing this year-long training will have the knowledge and experience necessary to begin a career in leadership and/or consultation in infection prevention and/or antimicrobial stewardship within an academic or non-academic setting. The balance between the operational and scholarship activities of this program can be adjusted to meet the fellow’s interests and align with their career plans.

• Dayna McManus, PharmD
• Matt Davis, PharmD
• Bailey Thayer, PharmD
• Caleb Rux, PharmD
• Abriana Holzworth, PharmD