Pneumonia: Good treatment in the hospital prevents future hospital stays

	Pneumonia and influenza together ranked as the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. Between the two, pneumonia consistently accounts for most deaths.

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, a virus or fungus. The illness occurs most often in the winter. It is especially deadly to the elderly, the very young and people with health problems, such as asthma, diabetes, heart failure and diseases that affect the immune system.

What to expect as a hospital patient

The doctors and nurses at Allina hospitals know proven ways to care for people with pneumonia.

An oxygenation assessment will tell us if you have enough oxygen or need more.
A first dose of antibiotic medicine within six hours of your arrival will be important if bacteria caused your infection.
A blood culture occasionally is needed to tell us what kind of medicine will work best to treat your pneumonia.
An influenza shot during flu season and a pneumonia (pneumococcal) shot will help prevent future infections.
Smoking cessation advice and counseling will be given if you smoke tobacco. Quitting smoking will help you heal. It also will prevent – even improve – many health problems.

Pneumonia Information and Care

Atypical (walking) pneumonia

Bacterial pneumonia

Hospital medicine (hospitalist care)

Infectious disease specialists

Pulmonology specialists

Hospital Stay Information

Your rights and responsibilities as a hospital patient

SPEAK UP for your health care

How to prevent infections during your hospital stay

Planning for your hospital discharge

How is Allina doing?

Percent of pneumonia patients who received all appropriate interventions
Allina - all hospitals	Allina - all hospitals Abbott Northwestern Hospital Cambridge Medical Center Mercy Hospital Owatonna Hospital St. Francis Regional Medical Center United Hospital Unity Hospital The data from these hospitals includes less than 25 cases; this number is too small to reliably predict performance: Buffalo Hospital New Ulm Medical Center

Minnesota Hospital Quality Comparison

As part of the Minnesota Hospital Quality Partnership, we report on how well our hospitals are doing in pneumonia care. That information appears on the Minnesota Hospital Quality Comparison Web site.

Visit www.mnhospitalquality.org to see how we compare to other Minnesota hospitals in providing optimal care to our patients with pneumonia.

VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence

In 2008, Owatonna Hospital gained national recognition for treating patients with pneumonia by earning the VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence.

Patient care, safety and satisfaction

Source: Allina Patient Education, Pneumonia, ic-ahc-13290; American Lung Association, Pneumonia fact sheet; Minnesota Hospital Quality Report

First published: 09/22/2008
Last updated: 09/22/2008

Reviewed by: Dennis O'Hare, MD, vice president of medical affairs, Mercy Hospital; Penny Wheeler, MD, chief clinical officer, Allina Hospitals & Clinics

This site is presented for information only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice.
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