CIMPAR has partnered with and been granted a project by the Illinois Department of Public Health, to construct an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) to help long term care (LTC) facilities and acute care hospitals learn how to implement or continue an existing ASP. With an annual rise of more than 50% of unnecessary prescriptions dealt to patients, the U.S. Whitehouse took an initiative to grand funds to help states conduct programs to improve activities aimed at provider knowledge and practices related to antibiotic prescribing, improving patient knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use, and reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and use.
So far, CIMPAR has hosted online Echo based zoom learning sessions approved for continuing education credits established by RUSH and NAB (National Association of LTC Administrator Board) that consist of didactics, case studies, and discussion with subject matter experts in infectious disease. The program has fetched a large interest from nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and nursing home administrators with the help of several nursing home and hospital associations of Illinois. The sessions cover the core elements of the ASP aimed to improve leadership, accountability, drug expertise, tracking, action, reporting, education, and data concepts.