#USA #Palo Alto #Bitscopic #PraediAlert #Kelly Echevarria

Kelly Echevarria's Appointment at Bitscopic

Bitscopic, a leading healthcare technology company, has announced the appointment of Kelly L. Echevarria, Pharm.D., BCIDP, as the National Program Expert for Clinical Stewardship Solutions. This strategic move aims to bolster the efforts in antimicrobial stewardship across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare facilities using the PraediAlert platform. Echevarria’s extensive experience in infectious diseases will play a pivotal role in operationalizing effective antimicrobial stewardship workflows for Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs).

A Veteran’s Commitment to Service

With over 25 years of experience in infectious diseases within the VA system, Echevarria’s career has been marked by her unwavering commitment to improving healthcare for veterans. She previously served as the National Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager for Infectious Diseases at the VA Pharmacy Benefits Management office from 2017 to 2025. Her leadership in the National VA Antimicrobial Stewardship Task Force has positively influenced over 150 facilities, helping to establish crucial guidelines and tools that enhance antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Echevarria also played a vital role in training the next generation of infectious disease pharmacists, contributing to the growth of the pharmacy profession within the VA. Her dedication to the health and well-being of veterans is not only seen through her professional endeavors but also reflects her personal journey as a veteran herself.

Enhancing Antimicrobial Stewardship with PraediAlert

At Bitscopic, Echevarria will leverage her expertise to interpret the needs of frontline clinicians and translate those insights into actionable improvements within the PraediAlert platform. PraediAlert is designed to provide real-time clinical surveillance and improve antimicrobial stewardship practices that ensure veterans receive optimal care. This platform integrates clinical, pharmacy, and microbiology data to support timely therapeutic decisions while minimizing unwarranted variations in care.

Payam Etminani, CEO and Co-founder of Bitscopic, stated, “Kelly's track record inside the VA is unmatched. Her national leadership in antimicrobial stewardship initiatives will help our VAMC partners optimize robust tools that allow them to move faster with confidence.”

Future Directions and the PraediAlert Roundtable

As part of her role, Echevarria will host the PraediAlert Roundtable for VA Clinical Stewardship, a forum designed for clinicians and program leaders from various VAMCs to share insights and collaborate on improving antimicrobial stewardship practices. This initiative will facilitate quarterly meetings where participants can discuss real-world applications of theory, share practical playbooks, and engage directly with Echevarria and other subject matter experts in infectious diseases and pharmacy.

The goal of the Roundtable is to foster a collaborative environment and empower clinicians to optimize workflows and metrics that significantly impact patient care. The first session is scheduled for December 2025, promising to be an essential platform for knowledge exchange and improvement in antimicrobial stewardship across the VA healthcare system.

Conclusion: A Vision for Improved Patient Outcomes

Echevarria's priorities include optimizing antimicrobial stewardship workflows at VAMCs, standardizing essential metrics, and enhancing data utilization for timely therapeutic decisions through PraediAlert. By working collaboratively with healthcare teams, she envisions a future where pharmacy surveillance can expand beyond its current scope to strengthen outcomes across various areas of veteran care.

In a statement, Echevarria expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “I am honored to continue supporting the mission of caring for Veterans by partnering with VA teams to safeguard them from adverse events and optimize antimicrobial use.” Kelly Echevarria's new role at Bitscopic is a significant step forward in achieving better healthcare outcomes for veterans, ensuring they receive the high-quality care they deserve.