Pneumonia Process of Care Measures
Pneumonia is a serious lung infection that causes difficulty breathing, fever, cough and fatigue. These measures show some of the recommended treatments for pneumonia.
Pneumonia Patients Assessed and Given Pneumococcal Vaccination
January 2010 through December 2010
The pneumococcal vaccine may help you prevent, or lower the risk of complications of pneumonia caused by bacteria. It may also help you prevent future infections. If you have pneumonia, you should be asked if you have been vaccinated recently for pneumonia and, if not, you should be given the vaccine.
This chart shows the percentages of pneumonia patients assessed and given pneumococcal vaccination. Higher percentages are better.
Pneumonia Patients Whose Initial Emergency Room Blood Culture Was Performed Prior to the Administration of the First Hospital Dose of Antibiotics
January 2010 through December 2010
Different types of bacteria can cause pneumonia. A blood culture is a test that can help your health care provider identify which bacteria may have caused your pneumonia and which antibiotic should be prescribed. A blood culture is not always needed, but for patients who are first seen in the hospital emergency department, it is important for the accuracy of the test that blood culture be conducted before any antibiotics are started. It is also important to start antibiotics as soon as possible.
This chart shows the percentages of pneumonia patients whose initial emergency room blood culture was performed prior to the administration of the first hospital dose of antibiotics. Higher percentages are better.
Pneumonia Patients Given Initial Antibiotic(s) Within 6 Hours After Arrival
January 2010 through December 2010
Antibiotics are used to treat adults with pneumonia caused by bacteria. Early treatment with antibiotics can cure bacterial pneumonia and reduce the possibility of complications.
This chart shows the percentages of pneumonia patients given initial antibiotic(s) within 6 hours after arrival. Higher percentages are better.
Pneumonia Patients Given the Most Appropriate Initial Antibiotic(s)
January 2010 through December 2010
Pneumonia is a lung infection that is usually caused by bacteria or a virus. If pneumonia is caused by bacteria, hospitals will treat the infection with antibiotics. Different bacteria are treated with different antibiotics.
This chart shows the percentages of pneumonia patients given the most appropriate initial antibiotic(s). Higher percentages are better.