Summary

The Department of Pediatrics is currently seeking an Assistant Professor in the section of Infectious Disease.

Job Duties

The Associate Medical Director of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) functions as a specialist in Antimicrobial Stewardship as well as Infectious Diseases and works primarily in the inpatient setting.  The Associate Medical Director interacts daily with the Infectious Diseases Pharmacist, who is the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and the other members of the ASP team.  In collaboration, coordination and communication with the Medical Director, Pharmacy Director, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Clinical Staff Pharmacists, Medical staff, Microbiology, Epidemiology/infection control, and other healthcare workers the antimicrobial stewardship Associate Medical Director at Texas Children’s Hospital is responsible for participating in the development, implementation, and documentation of the antimicrobial stewardship program, and for organizational change initiatives as they relate to anti-infectives. The goals of the position are to- ensure sustained antimicrobial effectiveness; decrease the emergence of resistance; education of prescribers and other healthcare workers in cost- effective therapy; decrease adverse reactions, including secondary infections (collateral damage); improve patient care by minimizing length of stay; promote conversion of intravenous therapy to oral antibiotics; consolidate antimicrobial formulary; and control antimicrobial costs.

II. Program Management:

• Assists in leading the Texas Children’s Hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.
• Reviews and assesses antibiotic formulary and accompanying restrictions, ensuring that appropriate antibiotics are available and they are used in appropriate circumstances and in a cost effective manner.
• Interacts with health care providers to optimally use antibiotics throughout the medical center through consultation and concurrent monitoring.
• Assists the Microbiology Laboratory with the publication of antibiotic susceptibility data on an annual basis.  
• Monitors antibiotic resistance patterns for the hospital.
• Provides necessary resources to hospital providers regarding antibiotic use and susceptibility data.
• Reviews and approves, if appropriate, requests for non-formulary antibiotics.
• Serves as a specialist regarding the use of antibiotics and the treatment of infectious diseases to hospital providers.
• Assists the ASP Clinical Pharmacy Specialists with the management of antibiotic drug usage evaluation – formulation, data collection, analysis, and resulting measures to improve care.
• Creates clinical pathways and protocols to guide agent selection based on best practice models.
• Develops policies or practices that encourage selection of the antimicrobial regimen with the narrowest spectrum of activity based upon culture and sensitivity results, and epidemiologically-proven common etiologic agents for infectious disease states.
• Promotes conversion of intravenous to oral antibiotics.
• Assists with ensuring a systematic approach to best practice with regards to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic utilization/dosing of antimicrobials.
• Studies prescribing patterns, perform drug utilization, and disease-state reviews to address detractions from clinical pathways, and identify non-evidenced based prescribing habits.
• Serves as a resource to Microbiology and Epidemiology/Infection Control, including participation on subcommittees as requested.
• Demonstrates a strong bias toward service, safe, quality and compassionate care with ultimate increase in patient satisfaction and outcomes.
• Explores possibilities to address issues differently, while remaining cognizant of the effect of decisions on the institution.

Job Duties Continued

3. Clinical Practice:

• Promotes the appropriate, safe, and effective use of drug therapy by reviewing individual patient's medical records and medication regimens for adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, appropriate indications, contraindications, drug duplications, pharmacokinetically sound dosing, and optimal drug selection.
• Assists in the development, coordination, and implementation of programs designed to improve compliance with appropriate antimicrobial utilization.
• Presents new drugs, quality assurance monitoring results, and drug usage evaluation monitor results to the appropriate committees when required.
• Keeps current with advances and changes in infectious diseases in pediatric patients. Provides education and training regarding these advances to providers as needed.  Applies information to keep programs updated and contributes new insights and approaches to infectious diseases.
• Functions as a drug information resource for health care professionals and patients through direct response to inquiries.

IV. Education:

• Serves as a stewardship resource for ID and non-ID physicians (intern, residents, fellows, attendings).
• Develops programs and educates providers in antimicrobial selection, dosing and monitoring of antimicrobials.
• Participates in educational sessions for pharmacists and physicians on the rationale behind antimicrobial guidelines.
• Monitors guidelines compliance through audits and provide feedback to assigned antimicrobial committee(s) and service lines.
• Provides in-services and lectures to medical staff as well as other healthcare providers as it relates to antimicrobial agents and stewardship.
• Contributes to medical center publications regarding Antimicrobial Stewardship.

V. Research:

• Develops research interests related to and exploring Antimicrobial Stewardship.
• Presents research results at regional and national meetings.

Minimum Qualifications

The successful candidates must have an M.D. or equivalent degree, have completed at least three years of postdoctoral fellowship training, be board certified (if feasible) in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases and have Texas Medical Licensure by the starting date of their academic appointment.