Mayar Al Mohajer, M.D., MBA, FIDSA, FSHEA, FACHE
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Mayar Al Mohajer, M.D., MBA, FIDSA, FSHEA, FACHE
Professor
Phone
Phone
Positions
- Professor
-
Department of Medicine
Section of Infectious Diseases
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States
- Medical Director
-
Infection Prevention, Diagnostic Stewardship and Antibiotic Stewardship
CHI Texas Division and Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center
Houston, Texas United States
- Chief
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Infectious Disease Section
Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center
Houston, Texas United States
- Director, Infection Prevention, Antimicrobial Stewardship, QI and Leadership Track
-
Medicine
Infectious Diseases
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States
Education
- MD from University of Damascus
- 03/2007 - Damascus, Syria
- Graduate Certificate at Baylor College of Medicine
- 05/2013 - Houston, Texas United States
- Clinical Research
- MBA from University of Arizona
- 12/2016 - Tucson, Arizona United States
- Healthcare Administration
- Graduate Certificate at Harvard Medical School
- 05/2018 - Boston, Massachusetts United States
- Patient Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership
Certifications
- Internal Medicine Board Certificate
- American Board of Internal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases Board Certificate
- American Board of Internal Medicine
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
- American Heart Association
- Basic Life Support
- American Heart Association
- ECFMG Certificate
- ECFMG
- Texas Medical License
- #R0177 (10/01/2016 - 11/30/2021)
- Texas Medical Board
- Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ)
- National Association of Heath Quality
- Certificate in Infection Control (CIC)
- CBIC
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in Healthcare (LBBH)
- Management and Strategy Institute
- Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS)
- Certification Board for Professionals in Patient Safety
Honors & Awards
- Advancement to Fellowship- American College of Physicians (FACP)
- American College of Physicians (01/2014)
- Physician Rooky of the Year Award
- University of Arizona Health Network (02/2014)
- Good Citizenship Award
- Department of Medicine- University of Arizona (04/2017)
- Educator of the Year Award
- ACP Arizona Chapter (09/2014)
- Vernon & Virginia Furrow Award- AMES Grant
- Grant for Medical Education Research
- University of Arizona (10/2014)
- Physician Recognition Award
- anner University Medical Center (08/2015)
- Advancement to Fellowship- Infectious Disease Society of America (FIDSA)
- For excellence in Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Disease Society of America (08/2018)
- Advancement to Fellowship- Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)
- Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (10/2020)
- Norton Rose Fulbright faculty excellence award in teaching and evaluations
- Baylor College of Medicine (05/2021)
- Norton Rose Fulbright faculty excellence award in development of enduring educational materials
- 05/2021
- Advancement to Fellowship- American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
- American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) (01/2021)
Professional Statement
I am a highly organized and self-driven individual, passionate about taking care of patients on the healthcare system macro level and developing my career in the field of healthcare epidemiology. My leadership commitment can be gauged by the fact that I hold an MBA (healthcare management) from the University of Arizona, a Certificate in Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership from Harvard Medical School, and a Lean Black Belt Six Sigma Certificate in Healthcare. Possessing eight years of experience of working in academic healthcare leadership positions, as the medical director of antimicrobial stewardship then infection prevention, I have gained extensive insight within this field. My key leadership competencies include, but are not limited to, physician leadership, developing quality programs, pandemic preparedness, risk assessment and hospital regulatory compliance.In my current position with CommonSpirit Health (CSH) Texas Division and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (BSLMC) as an associate professor and the Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship for CSH TX division (17 hospitals), I am accountable for leading a team of over 50 infection preventionists and infectious disease pharmacists and carrying out a wide range of responsibilities to improve hospital-acquired infection rates. I oversee antibiotic and diagnostic stewardship, outbreak management, surveillance, disaster preparedness and quality improvement at both BSLMC and CSH Texas Division. As the medical director of infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship, I am a skillful communicator, with excellent organizational, decision making and time management skills. I have authored over 45 publications in peer-reviewed journals with a majority related to healthcare epidemiology and antimicrobial stewardship. Some of my accomplishment in this position includes: marked reduction of Clostridioides difficile infections (53%) by using a new bundle with an estimated savings of $775,000 annually, reduction of colorectal and orthopedic surgical site infections after implementing two new checklists, an estimated savings of over $500,000 annually with a new urine culture order set, and establishing new subcommittees for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, ventilation-associated pneumonia and orthopedic surgical site infections. Currently, all hospital-acquired infections are now either similar or better than national average.
Educating medical students, residents, fellows and other faculty members is my passion. I have developed a one-month rotation for the infectious disease fellows in infection prevention and antibiotic stewardship and a one-year track for second- and third-year infectious disease fellows in infection prevention, antibiotic stewardship, quality improvement and leadership. Additionally, I am the Department of Medicine Vice Chair for Quality Improvement and Innovations. I have developed a quality academy for to provide training for all fellows in the Department of Medicine. My mission is to instill a learning healthcare culture by fostering healthcare improvements and encouraging implementation of innovations in healthcare services.
On a national level I served on the Finance Committee of the IDSA, and the Public Policy and Government Affairs Committee of SHEA. I currently serve on SHEA education and guidelines committees, IDSA QI committee and the board of directors of the certification board of infection control and epidemiology (CBIC). I was recently selected as a Fellow of IDSA, SHEA and ACHE and was elected as the president of Houston Infectious Disease Society.
Selected Publications
- Nair A, Elliott SP, Al Mohajer M. "Knowledge, attitude, and practice of blood culture contamination: A multicenter study.." Am J Infect Control. 2017 Feb 15; Pubmed PMID: 28214162
- Majeed A, Alarfaj S, Darouiche R, Mohajer M. "An update on emerging therapies for urinary tract infections.." Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 2017 Mar 22;1:53-62. Pubmed PMID: 28253831
- Tager D, Hatch A, Segar J, Roller B, Al Mohajer M, Zangeneh TT. "Coccidioidal meningitis complicated by central nervous system vasculitis in a patient with leukemia.." Med Mycol Case Rep. 2017 Mar 23;18:8-11. Pubmed PMID: 28386527
- Majeed A, Abdullah HM, Ullah W, Al Mohajer M "First reported case of disseminated Nocardia kroppenstedtii sp nov. infection presenting with brain abscess and endocarditis." BMJ Case Rep.. 2017 Jan 6; Pubmed PMID: 28062425
- Majeed A, Ullah W, Zahid U, Al Mohajer M "Persistent spontaneous fungal peritonitis secondary to Candida albicans in a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis and review of the literature." BMJ Case Rep.. 2016 Nov 8; Pubmed PMID: 27873750
- Al Mohajer M, Matthias KR, Nix DE "Improving the knowledge of students and physicians regarding appropriate use of antibiotics for respiratory infections through an online educational module.." Am J Infect Control. 2017 Jan 1;1:e15-e17. Pubmed PMID: 27839751
- Moffarah AS, Al Mohajer M, Hurwitz BL, Armstrong DG. "Skin and Soft Tissue Infections." Microbiol Spectr. 2016 Aug 4;4 Pubmed PMID: 27726817
- Pasha AK1, Lee JZ1, Low SW1, Desai H, Lee KS, Al Mohajer M "Fungal Endocarditis: Update on Diagnosis and Management." Am J Med. 2016 Oct. 2016 Oct;129(10):1037-43.
- Beatty N, Medina-Garcia L, Al Mohajer M, Zangeneh TT "Polymicrobial Pituitary Abscess Predominately Involving Escherichia coli in the Setting of an Apoplectic Pituitary Prolactinoma." Case Rep Infect Dis. 2016; Pubmed PMID: 27006841
- Beatty N, Al Mohajer M "Primary cutaneous mucormycosis developing after incision and drainage of a subcutaneous abscess in an immunocompetent host." BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Jan 4; Pubmed PMID: 26729834
- Salameh A, Al Mohajer M, Daroucihe RO "Prevention of urinary tract infections in patients with spinal cord injury." CMAJ. 2015 Aug 11;187(11):807-11. Pubmed PMID: 26078464
- Al Mohajer M, Giordano TP, Serpa JA "Authors' response." South Med J. 2014 Dec;107(12):788. Pubmed PMID: 25502161
- Al Mohajer M, Darouiche RO "Infections Associated with Inflatable Penile Prostheses.." Sex Med Rev. 2014 Oct;2(3-4):134-140.. Pubmed PMID: 27784564
- Al Mohajer M, Villarreal-Williams E, Andrade RA, Giordano TP, Serpa JA "Eosinophilia and associated factors in a large cohort of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus." South Med J. 2014 Sep;107(9):554-8. Pubmed PMID: 25188618
- Al Mohajer M, Darouiche RO "The expanding horizon of prosthetic joint infections." J Appl Biomater Funct Mater. 2014 Jun 12;12(1):1-12. Pubmed PMID: 24829043
- Darouiche RO, Al Mohajer M, Siddiq DM, Minard CG "Short versus long course of antibiotics for catheter-associated urinary tract infections in patients with spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled noninferiority trial." Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 Feb;95(2):290-6. Pubmed PMID: 24035770
- Al Mohajer M, Musher DM, Minard CG, Darouiche RO. "Clinical significance of Staphylococcus aureus bacteriuria at a tertiary care hospital." Scand J Infect Dis. 2013 Sep;45(9):688-95. Pubmed PMID: 23808717
- Al Mohajer M, Darouiche RO "Prevention and treatment of urinary catheter-associated infections." Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2013 Apr;15(2):116-23. Pubmed PMID: 23341244
- Al Mohajer M, Darouiche RO "Sepsis syndrome, bloodstream infections, and device-related infections." Med Clin North Am. 2012 Nov;90(6):1203-23. Pubmed PMID: 23102485
- Al Mohajer M, Darouiche RO "Staphylococcus aureus Bacteriuria: Source, Clinical Relevance, and Management." Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2012 Dec;14(6):601-6. Pubmed PMID: 22945379
- Navaneethan U, Venkatesh PG, Al Mohajer M, Gelrud A. "Successful diagnosis and management of biliary cast syndrome in a liver transplant patient using single operator cholangioscopy." JOP. 2011 Sep 9;12(5):461-3. Pubmed PMID: 21904071
- Clark D, Al Mohajer M, Broderick J. "Pearls & Oy-sters: isolated cerebral zygomycosis in an intravenous drug user." Neurology. 2011 Jan 4;76(1):e1-2. Pubmed PMID: 21205684
- Navaneethan U, Al Mohajer M, Shata MT "Hepatitis E and pregnancy: understanding the pathogenesis." Liver Int. 2008 Nov;28(9):1190-9. Pubmed PMID: 18662274
- Mohajer MA, Lyons M, King E, Pratt J, Fichtenbaum CJ "Internal medicine and emergency medicine physicians lack accurate knowledge of current CDC HIV testing recommendations and infrequently offer HIV testing." J Int Assoc Physicians AIDS Care (Chic). 2012 Mar;11(2):101-8. Pubmed PMID: 22337704
- Dawod J, Tager A, Darouiche RO, Al Mohajer M. "Prevention and management of internal cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections.." J Hosp Infect. 2016 Aug;93(4):323-8. Pubmed PMID: 27107616
- Beatty N, Al Mohajer M. "Cutaneous Coccidioidomycosis." Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2015;11(5):226-7.
- Armstrong D.G., Al Mohajer M., Lipsky B.A. "Foot Disease in Diabetes." Reference Module in Biomedical Sciences..;
- Al-Adsani W., Tawill I., El Ramahi R., Al Mohajer M "Gastrointestinal Basidiobolomycosis in a Patient Presenting with Rectal Pain and Urinary Retention." idimages.org.;
- Al Mohajer M., Hamill RJ, Darouiche RO "Cryptococcus neofromans complicating Churg-Strauss Syndrome." J Med Cases. 2013;4(2):80-82.
- Navaneethan U., Al Mohajer M., Shata MT. "Pathogenesis of acute hepatitis E virus infection in pregnancy." Liver Int. 2008 Nov;28(10):1466.
- Beatty N., Al Mohajer M "Prevention and management of health-care associated urinary tract infections.." Hospital Physician Infectious Diseases.;
- Darouiche RO., Al Mohajer M. "Clean and Aseptic Techniques at the Bedside. In Civetta, Taylor and Kirby’s Critical Care." 5th ed. Gabrielli A; Layon AJ, Yu M. Lippincott.;
- Al Mohajer M., Darouiche RO. "Vascular line infections.." First Consult Monograph..;
- Eljaaly K, Alshehri S, AljabAbraham I, Al Mohajer M, Kalil AC, Nix DE4ri A, "Clinical failure with and without empiric atypical bacteria coverage in hospitalized adults with community-acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.." BMC Infect Dis.. 2017 Jun 2;17(1):385. Pubmed PMID: 28576117
- Khan S1, Waqar Elahi M, Ullah W, Abdullah HMA, Ahmad E, Al Mohajer M, Majeed A "Invasive Mucormycosis Induced Pneumopericardium: A Rare Cause of Pneumopericardium in an Immunocompromised Patient.." Case Rep Infect Dis. 2017; Pubmed PMID: 28596926
- Beatty N, Brown C, Zangeneh T, Al Mohajer M "A rare case of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies abscessus prosthetic valve endocarditis and the clinical importance of inducible erm(41) gene testing.." BMJ Case Rep.. 2017 Jun 13; Pubmed PMID: 28611136
- Ong E, Farran S, Salloum M, Gardner S, Giovinco N, Armstrong DG, Matthias KR, Nix DE, Al Mohajer M "Does Everything That's Counted Count? Value of Inflammatory Markers for Following Therapy and Predicting Outcome in Diabetic Foot Infection.." Int J Low Extrem Wounds.. 2017 Jun;16(2):104-107. Pubmed PMID: 28682724
- Beatty NL, Marquez J, Al Mohajer M "Skin Manifestations of Primary Vibrio vulnificus Septicemia." Am J Trop Med Hyg.. 2017 Jul;97(1):1-2. Pubmed PMID: 28719320
- Al Mohajer M, Joiner KA, Nix DE. "Are Teaching Hospitals Treated Fairly in the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program?." Acad Med. 2018 Aug 7; Pubmed PMID: 30095455
- Beatty N, August J, Saenz JA, Nix DE, Matthias KR, Mohajer MA. "Knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections among medical students, residents, and attending physicians." Avicenna J Med. 2018 Jul;8(3):104-6. Pubmed PMID: 30090749
- Zahid U, Sagar F, Al Mohajer M, Majeed A. "Management of Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection During Intensive Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Transplantation for Leukemia: Case with Literature Review." Cureus. 2018 Apr 2;10(4):e2413. Pubmed PMID: 29872594
- Taweel I, Beatty N, Duarte A, Nix D, Matthias K, Al Mohajer M "Significance of bacteriuria in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis." vicenna J Med. 2018 Apr;8(2):51-54. Pubmed PMID: 29682478
- Beatty NL, Hager KM, McKeown KR, Mora F, Matthias KR, Nix DE, Mohajer MA "Influenza vaccine availability at urgent care centers in the state of Arizona." Am J Infect Control. 2018 Aug;46(8):46(8):946-948. Pubmed PMID: 29609855
Memberships
- American College of Physicians (ACP)
- Fellow (10/2008)
- Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA)
- Fellow (08/2011)
- HIV Medical Association
- Member (08/2011)
- Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)
- Fellow (01/2014)
- Golden Key International Honor Society
- Member (11/2015)
- American College of Healthcare Executives
- Fellow (01/2018)
- Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology
- Board Member (01/2021 - 12/2024)
- Houston Infectious Disease Society
- Past President (06/2018)
Skills
- Clinical Research
- Medical Education
- Patient care
- Leadership
- Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Infection Prevention
- Quality Improvement
Languages
Arabic, Spanish, French
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