Antibiotic Timing Within 6 Hours of Arrival

Why is this important?

Antibiotics are used to treat individuals with bacterial pneumonia. Early treatment with antibiotics can cure bacterial pneumonia and reduce the possibility of complications. This information shows the percentage of patients who received their first dose of antibiotics within six hours of arrival at the hospital. Patients who contract pneumonia during their hospital stay are not included in this measure.

Higher percentages are better.

Information About Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that makes breathing difficult. As the lungs fill with fluid, oxygen has increasing difficulty reaching the blood and a whole series of events may occur that can eventually result in death.

Pneumonia is caused by a viral or bacterial infection that fills the lungs with mucus and lowers the oxygen level in the blood.

Symptoms of pneumonia can include the following:

• Difficulty breathing
• “Wet” cough with green or bloody mucus
• Chest pain
• Fever and chills
• Fatigue

This data, based primarily on data collected by Baxter Regional Medical Center hospital from April 2007 through March 2008, was released publicly on December 18, 2008.