Blood culture before initial antibiotic
In 2009, 91 percent of eligible pneumonia patients at Community Health Network and The Indiana Heart Hospital received the appropriate cultures prior to antibiotic therapy.
|
|
CHE
|
CHN
|
CHS
|
CHA
|
TIHH
|
Network
|
National
|
|
Patients Receiving Blood Culture Before Initial Antibiotic
|
128
|
129
|
102
|
47
|
4
|
410
|
NR
|
|
Total Patients Treated
|
137
|
139
|
113
|
58
|
4
|
451
|
NR
|
|
Percentage
|
93%
|
93%
|
90%
|
81%
|
100%
|
91%
|
92%
|
|
Data period: January - December 2009
|
View key
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What are blood cultures, and how are they important in the treatment of pneumonia?
With bacterial pneumonia it is important to determine if bacteria are present in the blood or urine, and to identify appropriate antibiotics to treat the bacteria. Blood cultures are tests that detect microorganisms present in the blood. A sample of blood is kept in a controlled temperature environment on a culture plate for several days to allow microorganisms to grow and be identified. The Joint Commission recommends blood cultures prior to antibiotic administration.
There is also a new urine test for pneumonia that is recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). The urine test takes only 15 minutes for results, whereas it may take days for blood culture results.
Key
CHE = Community Hospital East
CHN = Community Hospital North
CHS = Community Hospital South
CHA = Community Hospital Anderson
TIHH = The Indiana Heart Hospital
NR = Not Reported
Network = Networkwide Total
National = National Total reported by U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
= Be careful when drawing conclusions for these hospitals because of the small number of patients treated for this condition.