You Should Be Commended for Your Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts—Literally

The Urgent Care Association and the College of Urgent Care Medicine have launched a new initiative to formally acknowledge urgent care operators who demonstrate compliance with the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Antibiotic Stewardship Commendation program is intended to encourage urgent care centers to become more proactive in their antibiotic stewardship efforts. Using evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and management, participating urgent care operators can design and implement strategies to improve their own prescribing practices, and to educate patients on proper antibiotic use. UCA and the CUCM have been working with Premier Health, Physicians Immediate Care, AltaMed, Convenient MD, CAMC Urgent Care, and WellStreet to beta test the program. Premier Heath is the first in the test group to earn the Commendation.