Biography

Misti Ellsworth, DO, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. She earned her medical degree from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2006, completed her pediatric residency at UT San Antonio, and her fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UTHealth Houston in 2012.

After five years as a pediatric hospitalist, she returned full time to Pediatric Infectious Diseases in 2017 and currently serves as the Medical Director of Infection Prevention at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. Her experiences in this role sparked a deep interest in quality improvement (QI), leading her to complete the Memorial Hermann UTHealth Houston Clinical Safety and Effectiveness course in 2019, and later, to be selected for the Academic Pediatric Association Quality and Safety Improvement Scholars Program to further expand her expertise.

She has led multiple QI initiatives focused on infection prevention, including improving hand hygiene; reducing surgical site infections in C-sections and pediatric neurosurgical procedures; reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections through a “Scrub the Hub” campaign; and improving chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing compliance in the inpatient setting. She mentors a group of pediatric residents annually on QI projects and collaborates with pediatric infectious diseases fellows on their chosen QI projects.

In addition to her work in QI, she serves on the Resident Clinical Competency Committee, the Department of Pediatrics Quality Committee, and participates in peer mentoring within the Department of Pediatrics.

Education

Graduate School
University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM), Fort Worth, TX, 2006
Residency
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, 2006-2009
Fellowship
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, 2009-2012

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

Dr. Ellsworth is the director of Pediatric Infection Prevention for Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. In her role, Dr. Ellsworth focuses primarily on prevention of healthcare associated infections, quality improvement, and hospital epidemiology.

Research Interests

Her primary research interest is quality improvement and patient safety within infection prevention.

Publications

Weinheimer C, Ellsworth M, Ferguson L, Boston K, Haltiwanger B, Pavlovitch S, Warren M, Patel AB, Katz J, Ostrosky-Zeichner L. Reprocessing N95s with hydrogen peroxide vaporization: A robust system from collection to dispensing. Am J Infect Control. 2020.

Ellsworth M, Ostrosky-Zeichner L. Isavuconazole: Mechanism of Action, Clinical Efficacy, and Resistance. Journal of Fungi. 2020. doi: 10.3390/jof6040324; PMCID: PMC7712939.

Ellsworth M, Chang ML, Ostrosky-Zeichner L. Mind the Gap: The Hospital Breakroom. American Journal of Infection Control. 2020.

Coronado M, Nawaratne U, McMann D, Ellsworth M, Meliones J, Boukas K. Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis in a Patient with Covid-19. NEJM. 2020. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2010614; PMCID: PMC7207075.

Leach K, Ellsworth M, Ostrosky L, Bell C, Masters K, Calhoun J, Ferguson L, Distefano SM, Chang ML. Evaluation of a telethermographic system for temperature screening at a large tertiary-care referral hospital during the corona virus disease 2019 (covid-2019) pandemic. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020. doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.1254.

Weinheimer C, Ellsworth M, Ferguson L, Boston K, Haltiwanger B, Pavlovitch S, Warren M, Patel AB, Katz J, Ostrosky-Zeichner L. Reprocessing N95s with hydrogen peroxide vaporization: A robust system from collection to dispensing. Am J Infect Control. 2020.