Bergen New Bridge Medical Center Acknowledged for Antimicrobial Stewardship Leadership
New Jersey Department of Health 2022 Gold Steward Award for Long Term Care Division

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center’s antimicrobial stewardship efforts have again been recognized by The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH). The Medical Center’s Long Term Care Division earned the New Jersey Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Program’s 2022 Gold Steward Award and the Acute Division received a Silver Steward Award.

The New Jersey Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Program acknowledges the achievements of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) in local healthcare facilities. Awardees have demonstrated effective implementation of the CDC Core Elements of Antimicrobial Stewardship. The ASRP application evaluated metrics on hospital leadership commitment, accountability, pharmacy expertise, action, tracking, reporting, and education.

“This recognition highlights our dedication to providing high quality, safe and effective healthcare which leads to improved patient outcomes,” said Deborah Visconi, President & CEO, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center. “We continually strive to reduce antibiotic resistance with procedures in place to track antibiotic use as well as ongoing education on antimicrobial stewardship for our clinicians.”

Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have proven to be even more important through the pandemic because improper treatment of COVID-19 with antimicrobials, reliance on telemedicine usage and lack of diagnostic information, could have increased antimicrobial resistance in hospitals and communities.