Gold-Level honor coincides with U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week
AURORA, IL, (NOVEMBER 18, 2025) – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has named Mercy Medical Center, a member of the Prime Healthcare family of hospitals, to its Gold-Level Honor Roll for Acute Care Antimicrobial Stewardship. Fewer than 20% of all Illinois hospitals have achieved this recognition by implementing all six of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) Priorities for Hospital Core Element Implementation.
Angela Ustupski, Mercy Medical Center’s Chief Nursing Officer, explained, “The timing of this recognition is no coincidence. November 18-24 is Antibiotic Awareness Week in the U.S., an annual observance that raises awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. The IDPH Honor Roll recognizes hospitals that prioritize and excel in implementing evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship practices.”
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria and other germs no longer respond to the medications designed to treat them, making infections harder to cure and putting patients at greater risk. Gold-Level recognition from IDPH reflects Mercy Medical Center’s leadership in preventing this threat by strengthening the appropriate, evidence-based use of antibiotics across the hospital.
“Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight (bacterial) infections, but they can stop working if we don’t use them correctly,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “When we take antibiotics when they are not needed, germs can learn to fight back, making infections tougher to cure. This week, we’re celebrating nearly 90 Illinois hospitals for leading the way in using antibiotics wisely. When doctors, patients, and families all work together, we can keep these life-saving medicines working for everyone – now and in the future.”
Gold-Level recognition is reserved for the few that have achieved all six CDC priority elements. Silver-Level recognizes those hospitals who have met at least four of the six priority elements (noted below). Five other Prime Healthcare Illinois hospitals achieved Silver-Level Honor Roll: Resurrection Medical Center-Chicago, Saint Francis Hospital-Evanston, Saint Joseph Hospital-Elgin, Saint Joseph Medical Center-Joliet, and St. Mary’s Hospital-Kankakee. Two additional hospitals – Saint Mary of Nazareth in Chicago and Holy Family Hospital in Des Plaines – are applying during the next application cycle.
Mercy Medical Center earned Gold-Level status by achieving all six CDC priority elements:
- Hospital Leadership Commitment, designating a staff physician and/or pharmacist with specific assigned antimicrobial stewardship responsibilities.
- Accountability, having a stewardship program that is co-led by a physician and pharmacist.
- Stewardship Expertise, where the program is led by personnel that have completed specialized training in antimicrobial stewardship.
- Action, with facility-specific recommendations for treatment of common clinical conditions, and prospective audit and feedback or preauthorization for specific antibiotic agents.
- Tracking, where the hospital submits antibiotic use data to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN).
- Reporting, where antibiotic use reports are provided at least annually to provide feedback to prescribers.
Fernando Gruta, CEO of Mercy Medical Center, added, “The objective of focusing on antimicrobial stewardship is to improve patient outcomes by contributing to better treatment decisions, fewer adverse events, and reduced hospital-associated infections. Achieving Gold-Level Honor Roll is thanks to the commitment and collaboration of our Infectious Disease Pharmacists, Physician Antimicrobial Chairs, our nurses and clinicians, hospital leaders, and our regional and local Antimicrobial Stewardship Committees.”
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