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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy’s Scott Bergman, PharmD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, will present on appropriate use of antimicrobials, including antibiotics, at the Illinois Summit on Antimicrobial Stewardship on Tuesday, July 12 in Springfield.

“Antimicrobial stewardship is based on the premise that antibiotics are a shared resource that should be preserved for the common good of society,” Bergman said. “When one person misuses them, it impacts resistance that is passed on to others. This happens when patients ask for antibiotics even if they are not entirely necessary, or when healthcare providers prescribe them for viral infections “just in case” there is also a bacterial cause.”

Bergman is an infectious diseases clinical pharmacy specialist and holds a joint appointment with the Division of Infectious Diseases at the SIU School of Medicine. His presentation will focus on establishing a team relationship between pharmacists and prescribers, then using available tools to better assess patients for infections in the emergency room.

“My research has shown that using this method helps reduce broad-spectrum antibiotic use and also provides better patient care because the treatment is more appropriate for their type of infection,” Bergman added.

The Summit is organized by the Division of Patient Safety and Quality in the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

Bergman is also collaborating with the IDPH on the implementation and research of the Precious Drugs & Scary Bugs Campaign. His focus is measuring the judicious antibiotic use among healthcare providers across the state.

Photo: Scott Bergman, PharmD, BCPS.