Pneumonia Care (PN)
Pneumonia is the sixth most common cause of death in the United States. Pneumonia is a serious condition caused by a viral or bacterial infection that fills your lungs with mucus. This condition lowers the oxygen level in your blood and can also lead to death particularly with the very young and the elderly.
One way to evaluate the care of patients diagnosed with pneumonia is to look at the percentage of patients receiving all of the treatments (also known as "indicators") appropriate to their situation. The goal for all medical facilities should be to provide to all applicable (eligible) patients each of these treatments at 100%. Below is a chart that shows our average cumulative ranking for the last four quarters as measured against the state and national averages for each quality indicator.
For a more detailed breakdown, beneath are a series of detailed explanations for each Pneumonia quality indicator with a chart showing the percentage of patients receiving that particular quality indicator by quarter against the annual state and national averages.
Quality Indicator:Use of Pneumococcal Vaccine
Immunization for pneumococcal pneumonia (pneumonia caused by one type of bacteria) is recommended for certain groups of patients, including those hospitalized with pneumonia. Many patients can be safely immunized while they are at the hospital.
| Q1 2011 |
Q2 2011 |
Q3 2011 |
Q4 2011 |
State Average |
National Average |
| 92% |
88% |
93% |
92% |
96% |
96% |
Quality Indicator: Use of Blood Cultures before First Dose of Antibiotics
When required, blood cultures should be drawn in the ER prior to the first dose of antibiotics. Blood culture tests are used to determine which bacteria may have caused pneumonia and which antibiotic will work best to treat the condition and prevent its spread.
| Q1 2011 |
Q2 2011 |
Q3 2011 |
Q4 2011 |
State Average |
National Average |
| 98% |
96% |
91% |
94% |
96% |
97% |
Quality Indicator: Smoking Cessation Advice
We offer basic materials on smoking cessation for Pneumonia patients who have smoked within the past year. For those who are interested in quitting, one-on-one discussions about options and strategies for quitting is available prior to discharge. Since smoking is known to exacerbate health issues related to Pneumonia, we encourage anybody in our community that smokes to consider the health risks or smoking. It’s never too late to quit.
| Q1 20101 |
Q2 2011 |
Q3 2011 |
Q4 2011 |
State Average |
National Average |
| 100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
98% |
99% |
Quality Indicator: Initial Antibiotic Received Within 6 Hours of Hospital Arrival
Receiving antibiotics as quickly as possible has been shown to yield the best results. This will typically reduce the risk of serious complications.
| Q1 20101 |
Q2 2011 |
Q3 2011 |
Q4 2011 |
State Average |
National Average |
| 88% |
98% |
90% |
91% |
96% |
96% |
Quality Indicator: Initial Antibiotic Selection for CAP Immunocompetent - Non ICU Patient
This indicator is used to assess the percent of immunocompetent - non ICU patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) who receive an initial antibiotic within the first 24 hours after arrival at the hospital.
| Q1 2011 |
Q2 2011 |
Q3 2011 |
Q4 2011 |
State Average |
National Average |
| 82% |
85% |
93% |
90% |
96% |
96% |
Quality Indicator: Influenza Vaccination
Flu shots reduce the risk of influenza, a serious and sometimes deadly lung infection that can spread quickly in a community or facility. Hospitals should check to make sure that pneumonia patients, particularly those who are age 50 or older, get a flu shot during flu season to protect them from another lung infection and to help prevent the spread of influenza.
| Q1 2011 |
Q2 2011 |
Q3 2011 |
Q4 2011 |
State Average |
National Average |
| 96% |
N/A** |
N/A** |
85% |
94% |
94% |
Quality Agency Resources
Various official agencies and special interest groups monitor the
quality of medical care in the United States. Links to reputable
agencies that can provide you with independent data when evaluating
your hospital are in the right column.
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Learn more about Core Measures