Nebraska ASAP efforts promote antimicrobial stewardship activities in long-term care facilities across the state
Up to 70% of residents in long-term care facilities receive at least one course of systemic antibiotic annually, with 40-75% of prescribed antibiotics being considered unnecessary or inappropriate. As part of the condition for participation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will require all long-term care facilities to have an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) by November 28, 2017. However, most nursing home lack both the experience and the expertise required to develop a comprehensive ASP.
The Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment and Promotion Program (ASAP), which represents a partnership between University of Nebraska Medical Center/ Nebraska Medicine and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, is focused on helping LTCF across Nebraska in development of their own ASP. The Nebraska ASAP has already partnered with 5 LTCFs to provide assessments, implementation strategies and shared resources to start and sustain their own ASP. Learn more about these efforts here.
The Nebraska ASAP team
Front row L-R: Trevor Van Schooneveld MD (co-medical director), Regina Nailon (Clinical Nurse Research Coordinator), Sue Beach (administrative senior assistant), Kate Tyner (Nurse Coordinator), Scott Bergman PharmD (co-Pharmacy coordinator)
Back row L-R: Terri Micheels (Infection Control manager), Mark Rupp MD (Associate medical director), Jonathan Nguyen (Administrator), Shelly Schwedhelm (Executive Director of Emergency Preparedness), Salman Ashraf MBBS (ASAP medical director), Philip Chung PharmD (Pharmacy Coordinator)
Content provided by Dr. Salman Ashraf, Medical Director, Nebraska ASAP