Prevention Collaboratives: Hospitals and Health Departments Working Together, Part One

SHEA Podcasts

In this episode of The SHEA Podcast, Dr. Maroya Walters moderates an engaging discussion on the Colorado Antimicrobial Stewardship Endeavor (CASE), a collaborative between the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Children’s Hospital Colorado. CASE supports hospitals across Colorado in implementing the CDC’s Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs to combat antimicrobial resistance. Guests include Dr. Lauren Biehle, Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacy Lead; Dr. Michael Bozzella, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Physician; and Dr. Joana Dimo, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow. They share how CASE has grown from 17 hospitals in 2021 to 42 hospitals today, offering mentorship, workshops, and evidence-based tools like the Firstline app and CARE PATH adherence tools. Key topics include CASE’s origins in a statewide needs assessment, the roles of public health departments and hospitals in driving stewardship, and initiatives supporting rural and critical access hospitals through the CASE Collective. The team highlights the collaborative’s measurable impact on antibiotic use and patient outcomes and shares plans to expand their reach to underserved populations. The episode concludes with practical advice for hospital epidemiologists and public health professionals looking to develop similar collaboratives. Interested in learning more? Go to: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/antimicrobial-stewardship-endeavor-case