What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It is caused by bacteria or a virus. The lungs fill with mucus. This lowers the oxygen level in your blood. Symptoms of pneumonia can include the following:
- difficulty breathing
- "wet" cough. Your mucus may look green or bloody
- chest pain
- fever and chills
- fatigue
You should also be aware that flu shots reduce the risk of influenza, a serious and sometimes deadly lung infection that can spread quickly in a community. Hospitals should check to make sure that pneumonia patients get a flu shot during flu season to protect them from another lung infection and to help prevent the spread of influenza in the community.
For more information about lung health go to:
View other publicly reported data about pneumonia care in hospitals:
How is Hillcrest Hospital Performing on Pneumonia Care?
Overall Score for Pneumonia Care
This score tells you how many pneumonia patients received all of the appropriate care they qualified for.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The Ohio average is the most current available for all hospitals in the state and published at ohiohospitalcompare.ohio.gov. It is the Ohio average for January through December 2008.
Pneumonia Vaccine Given
This score tells you the percent of pneumonia patients 65 and older who were assessed for and, if needed, given the pneumonia vaccine before discharge from the hospital.
This information is important because the pneumonia vaccine may help you prevent or lower the risk of complications of pneumonia caused by bacteria. It may also help you prevent future infections. Patients with pneumonia should be asked if they have been vaccinated recently for pneumonia and, if not, should be given the vaccine.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The national average is the most current average available for all hospitals in the United States, and published at www.hospitalcompare.gov. It is the nation-wide average for the twelve months between July 2008 and June 2009. (The national average for earlier time periods may be different.)
Blood Culture Performed Before Antibiotic Given
This score tells you the percent of pneumonia patients in the hospital who had their blood taken and cultured before receiving their first antibiotic.
This information is important because 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 the blood culture should be conducted before any antibiotics are started. It is also important to start antibiotics as soon as possible.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The national average is the most current average available for all hospitals in the United States, and published at www.hospitalcompare.gov. It is the nation-wide average for the twelve months between July 2008 and June 2009. (The national average for earlier time periods may be different.)
Smokers Advised to Quit
This score tells you the percent of pneumonia patients with a history of smoking cigarettes who received advice before discharge from the hospital on how to quit smoking.
This information is important because smoking damages your lungs and can make it hard to breathe. Smoking increases your chances of getting pneumonia or other chronic lung diseases like emphysema and bronchitis. Smoking is also linked to lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and can cause early death. It is important for you to get information to help you quit smoking before you leave the hospital. Quitting may reduce your chances of getting pneumonia again.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The national average is the most current average available for all hospitals in the United States, and published at www.hospitalcompare.gov. It is the nation-wide average for the twelve months between July 2008 and June 2009. (The national average for earlier time periods may be different.)
Antibiotic Given Quickly
This score tells you the percent of patients who were given their first dose of antibiotics within 6 hours of arrival at the hospital. Patients who get pneumonia during their stay at the hospital are not counted in this measure.
This information is important because 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.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The national average is the most current average available for all hospitals in the United States, and published at www.hospitalcompare.gov. It is the nation-wide average for the twelve months between July 2008 and June 2009. (The national average for earlier time periods may be different.)
Appropriate Antibiotic Selected
This score tells you the percent of pneumonia patients who received the right antibiotic after hospital arrival.
This information is important because 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. To learn about how hospitals use a blood test to choose the most effective treatment for pneumonia patients, refer to the measure named ' Blood Culture Performed Before Antibiotic Given’.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The national average is the most current average available for all hospitals in the United States, and published at www.hospitalcompare.gov. It is the nation-wide average for the twelve months between July 2008 and June 2009. (The national average for earlier time periods may be different.)
Influenza Screening / Vaccination
This score tells youthe percent of pneumonia patients 50 or older who were assessed for and given, if needed, the influenza vaccine before discharge from the hospital during the flu season. Because a flu shot is effective for just one flu season, the period of time used to calculate this rate is the flu season, (from approximately October through March), as shown below.
This information is important because flu shots are highly effective in preventing influenza-related pneumonia, a serious and sometimes deadly lung infection that is highly contagious. Patients 50 or older are particularly vulnerable, and getting the flu shot during flu season helps protect them from another lung infection and prevent the spread of influenza.
Higher percentage is better.
Q = quarter. Example: January - March
* The national average is the most current average available for all hospitals in the United States, and published at www.hospitalcompare.gov. It is the nation-wide average for the twelve months between July 2008 and June 2009. (The national average for earlier time periods may be different.)