Both Blessing Health System hospitals, Blessing Hospital in Quincy and Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield, have been recognized by the Illinois Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) Acute Care Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll program with Silver status.
The Honor Roll recognizes hospitals that prioritize and excel in implementing evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship practices that protect patients from harm caused by unnecessary and/or infective antibiotic use, and combat antibiotic resistance.
Antimicrobial medications are used to prevent and treat infections. These medications include antibiotics. Approximately 30% of antibiotics prescribed in hospitals nationwide are either unnecessary or ineffective for the need they were prescribed, which contributes to antibiotic resistance, making infections difficult, and in some cases impossible to treat. Improper use of antibiotics can also harm patients.
Blessing Health System’s Antibiotic Stewardship program includes a clinical committee that ensures hospital policies for antibiotic use are evidenced-based, reflecting the latest research. The program also features specially-trained pharmacists working together with doctors treating patients with infections to ensure that the proper drug is used for a patient’s need in the proper dosage at the proper time for the proper duration and administered through the proper route.
