Improving the Quality of Care for Patients With Pneumonia in Very Small Hospitals

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Abstract
STUDIES1-4 HAVE shown that interventions aimed at improving processes of care for patients with pneumonia, including performance of blood cultures, timely administration of antibiotics, and selection of initial empirical antibiotics, have resulted in improvements in risk-adjusted mortality and length of stay and a reduction in total charges. In addition, the American Thoracic Society, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Canadian Thoracic Society, and the Canadian Infectious Diseases Society have published guidelines that provide recommendations for the initial evaluation and management of community-acquired pneumonia.5-10 Yet, various studies11-16 have demonstrated wide variability in the delivery of processes of care and average length of stay. This creates many opportunities to intervene in the care of patients hospitalized with pneumonia, which may, in fact, lead to improved quality of care manifested by improved patient outcomes.