Pneumonia is an infection that fills the lungs with mucus. The Joint Commission and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services agree on specific measures performed by your hospital which can improve the outcomes of a person suffering from pneumonia. Your hospital and/or physician will determine which treatments and medications are appropriate to improve your outcome.

Measure: Pneumococcal Vaccination
(Percent of pneumonia patients assessed and given the pneumococcal vaccination)
Patients 65 and older should be given the pneumococcal vaccine unless otherwise indicated. The vaccine may prevent or reduce the risk of complications from pneumonia.

Measure: Smoking Cessation Advice/Counseling
(Percent of pneumonia patients given smoking cessation counseling)
Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and susceptibility to pneumonia and chronic lung diseases such as emphysema. Stopping smoking may reduce a reoccurrence of pneumonia. Patients who receive smoking-cessation advice from their health care providers are more likely to quit.

Measure: Initial antibiotic within 6 hours of hospital arrival
(Percent of patients receiving initial antibiotic within 6 hours of arrival)
A direct link has been associated between timely antibiotic administration for pneumonia patients and their outcomes. Pneumonia patients receiving antibiotics within six hours of arrival have a lower length of stay and decreased mortality than those who do not.

Measure: Initial antibiotic selection for immunoompetent patients with community acquired pneumonia
(Percent of patients recieving the correct antibiotic)
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. .

Measure: Influenza Vaccination
(Percent of patients assessed and given influenza vaccination)
Flu shoots reduce the risk of influenza and influenza-related pneumonia. Pneumonia patients age 50 and older should get a flu shot during flu season as protection from lung infection.