About the Program

Since its establishment in 2013, the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) has worked to improve antimicrobial use, reduce adverse events, mitigate against antimicrobial resistance emergence, and improve patient outcomes. 

Stewardship Milestones and Interventions

• 2021: Associate Antimicrobial Stewardship Medical Director joined
• 2020: Expansion of ambulatory ASP
• 2020: House-wide inpatient prospective audit with feedback
• 2020: Second full-time ASP pharmacist joins
• 2019: Implementation of indication upon order entry for select antimicrobials
• 2019: Addition of non-formulary antimicrobials to restricted process
• 2017: House-wide inpatient prospective audit and feedback of injectable antimicrobials established
• 2016: First full-time ASP pharmacist
• 2015: Prospective audit with feedback program initiated in the ICUs with planned expansion
• 2015: Addition of first part-time ASP pharmacist to team
• 2014: Restricted formulary established
• 2013: Antimicrobial stewardship program established

Vision Statement

To be a national leader in pediatric antimicrobial stewardship by advancing diagnostic excellence, promoting health equity, and supporting responsible antimicrobial prescribing across inpatient, outpatient, and global care settings.

Programmatic Aims

1. Reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use across the enterprise.
2. Promote a culture where providers feel empowered to use antimicrobials appropriately and judiciously.
3. Improve visibility of ASP across the enterprise.
4. Achieve national recognition as a leader in antimicrobial stewardship.

Programmatic Recognitions

In 2020 the Stanford Children Medicine Children's Health ASP was recognized by the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Healthcare- Associated Infections (HAI) Program and was made a member of the CDPH Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll and designated with Gold status. The goals of CDPH’s ASP Honor Roll are to promote optimal use of antimicrobials, to prevent emergence of antimicrobial resistance and C. difficile infections, and to showcase California health care facility ASPs that not only follow national guidelines but also demonstrate outcomes and engage their local health care community. View additional information.

In 2018, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford was among the first three children’s hospitals to be recognized as a “Center of Excellence (CoE)” by the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA). Renewed in 2024, we are also part of a select group of only 18 hospitals nationwide that have continuously received this honor since the program’s inception. The award recognizes institutions that have created stewardship programs led by infectious diseases physicians and ID-trained pharmacists that are of the highest quality and have achieved standards aligned with evidence-based national guidelines. View additional information.