10th Annual Antimicrobial Stewardship Symposium

1. Register to attend the Symposium.
2. Attend 100% of each presentation for which you are seeking credit.
3. Participate in all active learning segments of each presentation for which you are seeking credit (e.g., worksheets, discussion, assessments)
4. Complete the electronic post-test & post-activity evaluation of each presentation for which you are seeking credit.
5. Instructions for claiming credit/contact hours will be emailed the week after the Symposium.

Hotels & Accommodations

Should you be in need of lodging for the Symposium, Belmont has a number of partnerships with local hotels, most if not all offer Belmont discounted rates. The closest in proximity to Belmont can be found in West End/Midtown, Downtown, and Green Hills. Ask for the Belmont University rate when making your reservation at one of these partner hotels!

We have secured a block of rooms at Homewood Suites by Hilton in the Gulch/Downtown area. If you choose to stay here, please use this link when booking in order to receive the discounted rate.

Directions to Belmont University & the Symposium conference center

Navigate to 1314 Acklen Ave., Nashville TN 37212.

Click here for a map of the Belmont campus.  

1. The Symposium is held in the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine (building #9 on PDF version of campus map).
2. Free parking is available in the Frist Parking Garage (P12 on PDF version of map) located underneath the building with elevator access to the interior. 

Lectures

1. Impact of Urbanization, Migration, Climate and Natural Disasters on Infectious Diseases Patterns - Ben Ryan, Ph.D., MPH, REHS, FRRHHed, Professor of Public Health and Global Initiatives and Human & Planetary Health Section Lead
   Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine, Belmont Collaborative for Health Systems Innovation, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

   Urban growth, human mobility, climate change, and acute disasters are reshaping infectious disease epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance. This session synthesizes current evidence to help ID and stewardship teams anticipate shifting transmission patterns (vector, water, and respiratory borne diseases), manage disruption to prevention and surveillance systems, and adapt stewardship in resource-constrained or crisis settings. This session will share examples and practical tools to explore rapid decision frameworks, equity-centered approaches for displaced populations, and data signals to inform early action.
   
   
2. Updates in the Treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (BCIDP & ACPE credit available) - Megan Klatt, PharmD, BCIDP, DPLA, Infectious Diseases/ASP Pharmacist, University of Kansas Medical Center
   
   This presentation will review new recommendations for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB as outlined in the ATS/CDC/ERS/IDSA Clinical Practice Guideline: Updates on the Treatment of Drug-Susceptible and Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis. The majority of the presentation will focus on the rationale to treat drug-susceptible TB with a 4-month rifapentine-moxifloxacin-based regimen and practical application of this regimen in different clinical scenarios.
   
   
3. The Professional Eras Tour - Monica V. Mahoney, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP, FMSHP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Infectious Diseases, Outpatient ID/OPAT Clinics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
   
   The presenter's own journey and involvement will be used to highlight how one can curate their leadership path throughout their career stages. As this is a leadership talk, less primary literature will be presented, and instead life lessons will be shared.
   
   
4. Strategies for the Future: Navigating the Rise of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Vaccine Hesitancy - Mary-Margaret A. Fill, MD, MPH, Interim State Epidemiologist; Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health
   
   This session will explore the evolving landscape of vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States, highlighting recent trends in disease resurgence and the growing challenge of vaccine hesitancy. We will examine the underlying drivers of these changes, including misinformation and policy shifts, and discuss evidence-based strategies for pharmacists, clinicians and other clinical / public health professionals to improve immunization coverage and mitigate vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Practical approaches for trusted data sources, communication, education, and future preparedness will be emphasized to equip attendees with actionable tools for navigating these challenges.

Panel: Winning Strategies & Missteps: Lessons Learned in Antimicrobial Stewardship

This presentation will include examples and advice from antimicrobial stewardship experts regarding the most effective and least effective interventions for antimicrobial stewardship programs. Speakers will have experience with inpatient and outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs and will represent multiple areas of training including physician, pharmacy, and nursing. The examples provided will reflect all of these different facility types and specialty areas.

1. OPAT - Monica V. Mahoney, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, FCCP, FIDSA, FIDP, FMSHP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Infectious Diseases, Outpatient ID/OPAT Clinics, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

2. LTAC - Nina Monroe, RN, BSN, Director of Quality and Regulatory Affairs, Tennessee Healthcare Association
3. Hospital/Health System - Steven VanHook, MD; Ascension Saint Thomas West, Nashville
4. Academic - Bryan P. White, PharmD, FIDSA, BCIDP, Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacist, PGY2 ID Residency Program Director, University of Oklahoma Medical Center; and Clinical Instructor, Internal Medicine, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine

Roundtable Sessions

1. Dialogue & Discussion on the Rise of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Vaccine Hesitancy - Mary-Margaret A. Fill, MD, MPH, Interim State Epidemiologist; Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Tennessee Department of Health
   
   This session will explore the evolving landscape of vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States, highlighting recent trends in disease resurgence and the growing challenge of vaccine hesitancy. We will examine the underlying drivers of these changes, including misinformation and policy shifts, and discuss evidence-based strategies for pharmacists, clinicians and other clinical / public health professionals to improve immunization coverage and mitigate vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Practical approaches for trusted data sources, communication, education, and future preparedness will be emphasized to equip attendees with actionable tools for navigating these challenges.
   
   

2. Little Patients, Big Differences: Pediatric PK/PD in Infectious Diseases - Katie Olney, PharmD, BCIDP, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacist; Pharmacy Director, Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Program; Program Director, PGY2 Infectious Diseases (Pediatric) Pharmacy Residency, UK HealthCare and Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
   
   This session will review pediatric pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, with an emphasis on how developmental changes in physiology influence drug disposition and response across pediatric age groups. Current literature supporting pediatric dosing strategies, PD targets, and exposure–response relationships will be discussed, including data derived from population PK modeling and therapeutic drug monitoring. Practical examples will highlight how these evidence-based principles can be applied to optimize medication efficacy and safety in pediatric patients.
   
   

3. Rx for You? Rx for Two: Antibiotic Safety in Pregnancy - Kayla R. Stover Hielscher, PharmD.D., BCIDP, BCPS, FCCP, FIDSA, Assistant Dean-Jackson & Professor and Vice Chair of Pharmacy Practice, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, and Program Director, PGY2 Infectious Diseases Residency, University of Mississippi Medical Center
   
   An evidence-based review of antibiotics in pregnancy was published by pharmacist members of the South Eastern Research Group Endeavor (SERGE) in 2015 and updated in 2025. These reviews will be referenced, and used in combination with guidelines from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology on treatment of infections in pregnancy (examples may include: asymptomatic bacteriuria, UTI, group B streptococcus) to develop treatment plans for example patient cases.
   
   

4. Building a Business Plan for Antimicrobial Stewardship - Bryan P. White, PharmD, FIDSA, BCIDP, Infectious Diseases Clinical Pharmacist, PGY2 ID Residency Program Director, University of Oklahoma Medical Center; and Clinical Instructor, Internal Medicine, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
   
   Data on the varying recommendations and regulations on stewardship staffing will be presented. Best practices for improving business plans in terms of metrics and style will be discussed.
   
   

5. Clinical Decision-Making in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Infections: Navigating Evidence and Uncertainty - Ashlan J. Kunz Coyne, PharmD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Kentucky
   
   This interactive roundtable will review current evidence and evolving considerations related to the management of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex infections. Discussion will focus on common clinical challenges, interpretation of susceptibility data, and variability in therapeutic decision-making across practice settings. Learners will engage in peer dialogue to identify gaps between current practice and emerging best practices, with emphasis on optimizing antimicrobial stewardship and patient outcomes.
   
   

6. Out with the Old, In with the New: Updated IDSA 2025 Complicated UTI Guidelines - Caren Azurin, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West
   
   This session will discuss new UTI classification, oral antibiotics for gram negative bacteremia secondary to cUTIs, and appropriate duration of therapy from the new guidelines.
   
   

7. Management of Fever and Leukocytosis by the ID Team - Megan Uehling, MD, Infectious Diseases Fellow, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Advisor: Sara Haddad, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
   
   Broad spectrum antibiotics are commonly prescribed in the hospital setting as described above. We will discuss laboratory tests (Staph nasal swab, procalcitonin) and their utility in de-escalating antibiotics in different infectious syndromes. Fever, leukocytosis are common in the hospital setting. Infectious diseases is often consulted to assist with evaluation. We will discuss the noninfectious causes of fever to consider and when blood cultures are recommended.
   
   

8. Storytelling in antimicrobial stewardship: listening better to difficult conversations - Stephen Staggs, MD, MTS, Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Thomas F. Frist, Jr., College of Medicine, Belmont University
   
   Concepts of Aristotle on Ethos, pathos, and logos will be presented and examined through the lenses of Bonhoeffer and Stephen Covey. A philosopher, a theologian, and an educator by “listening’ and classifying beliefs of the patient.