Research & Publications †
( † Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Biographical Sketch
Steven K. Schmitt, MD, FIDSA, is a Staff Physician in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Schmitt was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Haverford College in 1982 and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1988. He completed his specialty training in internal medicine and his subspecialty training in infectious diseases at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Schmitt subsequently joined the staff of the Department of Infectious Disease at Cleveland Clinic, and he serves as Associate Hospital Epidemiologist. He is the Head of the Section of Bone and Joint Infections and Vice Chair of the Medicine Institute for Professional Staff Affairs
Dr. Schmitt is a Past President of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio. He was elected as a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2007. Following a term on the Board of State and Regional Infectious Diseases Societies, he was appointed to the Clinical Affairs Committee and as chair of the Value of Infectious Diseases Specialists Task Force of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, . He serves in an advisory capacity for the Ohio Department of Health and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health on infection-related hospital quality measures, emerging infections, and bioterrorism preparedness.
Dr Schmitt’s clinical and research interests rest in infections of bone and joint infections, medical devices, and healthcare epidemiology. In addition, he is frequently invited to lecture on infections of bones and joints, vascular devices, community-acquired pneumonia, and the use of electronic resources in Infectious Disease practice. He serves on several committees overseeing the implementation of an electronic health record at Cleveland Clinic.
Specialty Interests
hospital epidemiology, prosthetic device infections
Awards & Honors
Cleveland Clinic Foundation Quest for Quality Award, 2003
Fellow, Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2006
Fellow, American College of Physicians, 2010
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. The Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists
receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, the Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 6/18/2013, Dr. Schmitt has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by the Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about the Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers’ discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.