Tamar F. Barlam
Section Chief, Infectious Diseases
Professor, Infectious Diseases
771 Albany St | (617) 414-5282tamar.barlam@bmc.org
tbarlam@bu.edu

Sections
Infectious Diseases
Biography
Dr. Barlam is the Chief of the Section of Infectious Diseases and the Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship for the Boston Medical Center. She has close to 30 years’ experience directing antimicrobial stewardship programs. Her research is focused on understanding factors that influence antimicrobial prescribing, and the implementation and impact of stewardship interventions. She has also led public policy initiatives to reduce inappropriate use of antimicrobials in food animals and served on a national task force to improve antimicrobial use in companion animals. She is the chair of a national committee on antimicrobial stewardship education and implementation.
Education
MD, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
Biomedical Sciences, BS, City College of New York
Publications
Nelson AL, Steiner J, Hanley D, Barlam TF, Drainoni ML, Burrowes SAB, Pierre CM. Revitalizing the infection prevention workforce with a fellowship program for underrepresented groups. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2023 Dec; 44(12):2050-2051. PMID: 37395044.
Published on 3/29/2023Tjilos M, Drainoni ML, Burrowes SAB, Butler JM, Damschroder LJ, Bidwell Goetz M, Madaras-Kelly K, Reardon CM, Samore MH, Shen J, Stenehjem EA, Zhang Y, Barlam TF. A qualitative evaluation of frontline clinician perspectives toward antibiotic stewardship programs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2023 Mar 29; 1-7. PMID: 36987859.
Published on 3/29/2023Tjilos M, Drainoni ML, Burrowes SAB, Butler JM, Damschroder LJ, Bidwell Goetz M, Madaras-Kelly K, Reardon CM, Samore MH, Shen J, Stenehjem EA, Zhang Y, Barlam TF. A qualitative evaluation of frontline clinician perspectives toward antibiotic stewardship programs. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2023 Dec; 44(12):1995-2001. PMID: 36987859.
Published on 9/14/2022Barlam TF, Al Mohajer M, Al-Tawfiq JA, Auguste AJ, Cunha CB, Forrest GN, Gross AE, Lee RA, Seo SK, Suh KN, Volk S, Schaffzin JK. SHEA statement on antibiotic stewardship in hospitals during public health emergencies. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 Nov; 43(11):1541-1552. PMID: 36102000.
Published on 2/5/2022Dhanani M, Goodrich C, Weinberg J, Acuna-Villaorduna C, Barlam TF. Antibiotic therapy completion for injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis at a center with routine addiction medicine consultation: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Feb 05; 22(1):128. PMID: 35123439.
Published on 2/4/2022Brady KJS, Barlam TF, Trockel MT, Ni P, Sheldrick RC, Schneider JI, Rowe SG, Kazis LE. Clinician Distress and Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2022 May; 48(5):287-297. PMID: 35489803.
Published on 12/2/2021Livorsi DJ, Drainoni ML, Reisinger HS, Nanda N, McGregor JC, Barlam TF, Morris AM, Szymczak JE. Leveraging implementation science to advance antibiotic stewardship practice and research. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2022 02; 43(2):139-146. PMID: 34852212.
Published on 11/29/2021Burrowes SAB, Barlam TF, Skinner A, Berger R, Ni P, Drainoni ML. Provider views on rapid diagnostic tests and antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections: A mixed methods study. PLoS One. 2021; 16(11):e0260598. PMID: 34843599.
Published on 11/12/2021Burrowes SAB, Drainoni ML, Tjilos M, Butler JM, Damschroder LJ, Goetz MB, Madaras-Kelly K, Reardon CM, Samore MH, Shen J, Stenehjem E, Zhang Y, Barlam TF. Survey of physician and pharmacist steward perceptions of their antibiotic stewardship programs. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2021; 1(1):e48. PMID: 36168491.
Published on 10/11/2021Heil EL, Bork JT, Abbo LM, Barlam TF, Cosgrove SE, Davis A, Ha DR, Jenkins TC, Kaye KS, Lewis JS, Ortwine JK, Pogue JM, Spivak ES, Stevens MP, Vaezi L, Tamma PD. Optimizing the Management of Uncomplicated Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections: Consensus Guidance Using a Modified Delphi Process. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2021 Oct; 8(10):ofab434. PMID: 34738022.
Media Mentions
Published on 9/22/2022
Limiting antibiotic overprescription in pandemics: New guidelines
Published on 9/19/2022
Experts lay out antibiotic stewardship lessons from COVID-19
Published on 7/19/2021
Questions and answers on the COVID-19 vaccine
Published on 1/29/2021
Boston infectious disease specialists: How to make the vaccination rollout a success
Published on 1/3/2021
Famous patients tout COVID-19 treatment, but the drug is slow to reach others
Published on 12/31/2020
Boston infectious disease specialists: Our New Year’s resolutions
Published on 12/8/2020
CDC Director Appointee Rochelle Walensky “Won’t Be Susceptible to Political Pressure”
Published on 11/12/2020
Published on 10/5/2020
Opinion: A COVID-19 vaccine must be safe and effective
Published on 5/11/2020
Boston Infectious Disease Experts: Don’t Reopen Massachusetts Too Quickly
View full list of 19 media mentions.