Committed to Antibiotic Stewardship in Urgent Care

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Urgent Care providers make clinical prescribing decisions for over 210 million patients each year. However, around 30% of antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings are unnecessary, according to the CDC.

The Urgent Care Association, along with the College of Urgent Care Medicine (CUCM) and Urgent Care Foundation (UCF), are committed to Antibiotic Stewardship in Urgent Care — to help achieve the strategic objectives of the World Health Organization (WHO) global action plan for addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

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A central hub for Antibiotic Stewardship in Urgent Care, curated & developed by UCA|CUCM|UCF
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U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week

Join UCA to participate in the CDC's U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) from November 18-24.
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Commit to ABS

Read it. Sign it. Live it. Join your peers and sign the Antibiotic Stewardship Commitment.
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Antibiotic Stewardship Commendation

Urgent Care has made a mark on ABS.

Click through the map to view the the centers who have demonstrated and declared ABS commitment with a CAUCQ Antibiotic Stewardship Commendation.

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In 2018, the Urgent Care Association, the College of Urgent Care Medicine and the Urgent Care Foundation undertook a longitudinal Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) initiative to ensure we play our part in supporting clinicians and operators in addressing ABS. The initiative focuses on addressing five key objectives through fostering a culture of quality within Urgent Care, developing guidance and resources to create and strengthen stewardship programs and leading collaboration across Urgent Care stakeholders.

Beginnings (2018–2019)
  • Established ABS Committee and launched Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit based on CDC Core Elements.
  • Hosted CDC partnership summits in Atlanta and West Palm Beach.
  • Joined United Nations AMR Challenge and began annual clinical leadership webinars.
  • Created Commitment to ABS Program and added ABS as a UCA Accreditation requirement.
  • Initiated collaborations with SPUC, ARAC, GWR on ABS in Pediatric Urgent Care.
Expansion & Recognition (2020–2022)
  • Secured multi-year CDC grant to advance ABS in Urgent Care.
  • Launched ABS Commendation Program for Urgent Care Centers.
  • Delivered Quality Improvement Project with SPUC, ARAC, CDC. Updated Antibiotic Stewardship Toolkit to include COVID-19 guidance.
Quality Improvement & Engagement (2023)
  • Continued CDC grant work with ABS Quality Improvement program for UCA member centers.
  • Expanded Learning Center resources and hosted ABS prescribing webinar.
  • Audited UCA Accreditation standards for ABS and relaunched ABS Champion Recognition.
  • Collaborated on patient education resources, benchmarking studies, and member feedback surveys.
Sustained Impact (2024 and Beyond)
  • Ongoing CDC grant activities under 5-year federal award.
  • Continued industry partnerships for patient education and benchmarking.
  • Commitment to closing gaps in ABS implementation and driving measurable improvements.