Hunterdon Health Achieves Recognition for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Hunterdon Health is proud to announce that the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) recognized both Hunterdon Medical Center and the Hunterdon Medical Group offices of Hunterdon Health for their antimicrobial stewardship practices.  This rigorous application process assesses leadership commitment,communication and data with regard to antimicrobial prescribing.  

HMC has been recognized as a Gold Level Antimicrobial Stewardship award recipient for the 2nd year in a row for their ongoing antimicrobial stewardship efforts.  In addition, Hunterdon Health received the Bronze Award for their stewardship initiatives in the Outpatient Setting.  They were one of only two outpatient facilities in the state that were recognized by NJDOH.

These awards follow the observance of Antibiotic Awareness Week, an annual recognition hosted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the month of November to raise awareness of the importance of appropriate antibiotic use to combat the threat of antibiotic resistance.

The New Jersey Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Awards is a voluntary incentive program that encourages healthcare facilities to submit stewardship materials in concordance with CDC’s Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship, a set of key principles to guide efforts to improve antibiotic use and advance patient safety and improve outcomes.

The complexity of antimicrobial use, reporting, tracking, and education in addition to the variability in healthcare facility size and types of care require flexible programs and activities.

To learn more about Hunterdon Health, visit hunterdonhealth.org.