The Illinois Department of Public Health Antimicrobial Stewardship Honor Roll recognizes hospitals that demonstrate strong leadership and commitment to using antibiotics safely and appropriately. These efforts help protect patients from unnecessary side effects, reduce antimicrobial resistance, and support high-quality care. Designations are based on implementation of the CDC’s Priorities for Hospital Core Element Implementation, targeted strategies designed to enhance the quality and impact of existing stewardship programs. Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers reflect increasing levels of implementation. Hospitals meeting all six CDC Priorities ensure antibiotic stewardship leaders have stewardship responsibilities built into their job roles, use a physician-and-pharmacist co-leadership model, engage leaders and clinicians with specialized stewardship training, adopt facility-specific treatment recommendations with active review of antibiotic decisions, regularly submit antibiotic use data to national tracking systems, and provide targeted prescriber feedback. The Collaboration Distinction recognizes hospitals that partner beyond their own facility to improve antibiotic use across healthcare settings and in their communities.
