SHS-UHN Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

Since 2009, Sinai Health System and University Health Network have joined forces to ensure patients get the right antibiotics, when they need them. The SHS-UHN Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) is an interprofessional and collaborative program, emphasizing the patient perspective at the centre of their care throughout the patient’s life.

By using innovative, evidence-informed practice in research, education and clinical practice, this program has made a positive impact at the local, national and global level on the appropriate use of antimicrobials. In the past 10 years, ASP has embarked on a number of initiatives that have made a difference for patient infection rates and antibiotic use and have even improved health care costs.

  • ASP team members have contributed to 51 publications in peer-reviewed journals
  • C-Section infection rates at member hospitals has been reduced by almost three percent since 2010.
  • In the Mount Sinai Intensive Care Unit, antibiotic use has been reduced by 14%, antibacterial costs have been reduced by 30%, antifungal costs have been reduced by 40%, translating into approximately $122,000 savings annually.
  • The success of this project is evolving and expanding, with Dr. Warren McIsaac from the Mount Sinai Hospital family practice team now leading community antimicrobial stewardship pilot projects in primary care.

For Dr. Maureen Shandling, Executive Vice President, Academic & Medical Affairs at Sinai Health System, patient care and safety is at the core of this programs achievements. She says, “the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program is an integral component of our safety and quality agenda and keeps our patients safe. I am proud to know that this group has provided leadership across the province, country and internationally in this area.”

The impacts of the program within the affiliated hospitals is clear. Dr. David Frost, General Internal Medicine, Site Director, Toronto Western Hospital, says “over the past 10 years, the ASP has become a vital part of the General Internal Medicine enterprise. The scheduled rounds with the ASP pharmacist have made me a better internist, and I now routinely incorporate what I have learned from ASP material and personnel into how I practice medicine and what I teach medical students and residents.”

To learn more about the milestone achievements of the ASP, click here to see a timeline.

To celebrate 10 years of this remarkable program, the ASP held an event in the Mount Sinai Hennick Family Wellness Gallery.  And many participants kept the conversation going on social media. Check out some of the tweets from the event below.