Quality Data – Pneumonia
What is a Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Many different organisms can cause it, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, and can even be deadly. The severity depends on the type of organism causing pneumonia, as well as your age and underlying health.
How is Care Measured?
When someone has Pneumonia, timely, clear-cut treatment is critical. Evidence has shown that patients who received specific treatments and medications at certain times experienced the best outcomes. These procedures and medications include:
- Patients given Pneumococcal Vaccination if appropriate
- Blood Culture done before antibiotics given
- Smoking cessation advice/counseling
- Antibiotic given with 6 hours of arrival
- Appropriate antibiotic given
- Patients given Influenza Vaccination if appropriate
Brief Explanation:
- An influenza shot can help prevent seasonal influenza, even for patients who have been hospitalized for pneumonia.
- A pneumonia (pneumococcal) shot can help prevent pneumonia in the future, even for patients who have been hospitalized for pneumonia.
- Timely use of antibiotics can improve the treatment of pneumonia caused by bacteria.
- Smoking is linked to pneumonia. Quitting may help prevent you from getting pneumonia again.
- Antibiotics are medicines that treat infection, and each one is different. Hospitals should choose the antibiotics that best treat the infection type for each pneumonia
- A blood culture helps identify the infecting bacteria and tell what antibiotic works best to treat your pneumonia.