Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Patient-centered Value Through Pharmacy-led Interventions

In late January 2012, pharmacists began reviewing potential pneumonia patients using a screening tool developed by the quality management team. A list of patients with diagnosis codes that had previously been identified as possible pneumonia patients prints twice daily. Pharmacists review each patient on this list for CMS inclusion criteria based on their admitting diagnosis, physician history and physical, emergency department records and progress notes.

If the patient is determined as a possible community-acquired pneumonia patient, the antibiotics are reviewed for appropriateness. When a patient has been identified as not being on the appropriate antibiotics, the physician is called and requested to change therapy.

Since implementing this process the hospital has achieved 100 percent compliance on antibiotic selection and timing for pneumonia patients.

Read the whole case study below (click "view item"). 

This case study is part of the Illinois Hospital Association's annual quality awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals in continually improving and transforming health care in the state. These hospitals are improving health by striving to achieve the Triple Aim--improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction); improving the health of populations; and reducing the per capita cost of health care.

Award recipients achieve measurable and meaningful progress in providing care that is:

• Safe
• Timely
• Effective
• Efficient
• Equitable
• Patient-centered

(The Institute of Medicine's six aims for improvement.)