Quality & Patient Satisfaction

Hospital Performance Data Definitions

The following practice treatments are recommended for all hospitals. South County Hospital's performance data is based on the measurement of these standards listed below.

FOR HEART ATTACK

Aspirin on arrival
Aspirin has been shown to prevent clotting and to restore blood flow to the heart. The recommended level of care is to give eligible patients aspirin within 24 hours of arrival at the hospital.

Aspirin at discharge
Aspirin has been shown to prevent blockage of blood flow to the heart. The recommended level of care is to prescribe aspirin to eligible patients when they leave the hospital.

ACEI or ARB for LVSD at discharge
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin-renin blocker medication has been shown to help prevent further heart problems. The recommended level of care is to prescribe ACEI or ARB medications to eligible patients when they leave the hospital.

Beta Blocker at arrival
Beta blocker medications have been shown to help patients recover from their heart attack. The recommended level of care is to give eligible patients beta blockers within 24 hours of arrival at the hospital.

Beta Blockers at discharge
Beta blocker medications have been shown to help prevent future heart attacks. The recommended level of care is to prescribe beta blockers to eligible patients when they leave the hospital.

PCI received within 120 minutes of arrival
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) is one of a class of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI), which are among the most effective ways to open blocked blood vessels and help prevent further heart muscle damage. The recommended level of care is to perform a PCI procedure on eligible patients within 120 minutes of hospital arrival.

Adult smoking cessation advice/counseling
Smoking increases the risk for developing blood clots and heart disease that can result in a heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Smoking is also linked to lung disease and cancer, and can cause premature death. The recommended level of care is to give eligible patients smoking cessation counseling before they leave the hospital.

FOR HEART FAILURE

Assessment of left ventricular function
Assessment of left ventricular function, the heart's ability to pump blood effectively, is the recommended level of care for heart failure patients.

ACEI or ARB for LVSD
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin-renin blocker medications have been shown to help lower blood pressure and prevent future heart problems. The recommended level of care is to prescribe ACEI or ARB medications to eligible patients when they leave the hospital.

Discharge instructions
Heart failure is a chronic condition. It results in symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue. The recommended level of care is to provide eligible patients with information to help them manage their symptoms after they arrive home.

Adult smoking cessation advice/counseling
Smoking increases the risk for developing blood clots and heart disease that can result in a heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Smoking is also linked to lung disease and cancer, and can cause premature death. The recommended level of care is to give eligible patients smoking cessation counseling before they leave the hospital.

FOR PNEUMONIA

Initial antibiotic
Receiving antibiotics as quickly as possible has been shown to yield better results. The recommended level of care is to give antibiotics to eligible patients with pneumonia within four hours of arrival to the hospital.

Initial antibiotic selection for immunocompetent patients
Pneumonia is a lung infection that is usually caused by bacteria or a virus. If pneumonia is caused by bacteria, hospitals will treat the infection with antibiotics. Different bacteria are treated with different antibiotics.

Pneumococcal vaccination
Immunization for pneumonia caused by one type of bacteria is recommended for certain groups of patients.

Oxygenation assessment
Knowing how much oxygen is in the blood is important when treating patients with pneumonia. The recommended level of care is to test the amount of oxygen in eligible patients’ blood within 24 hours before or after hospital arrival.

Influenza vaccination
When patients have pneumonia they are more vulnerable to getting other infections, such as influenza (flu). During flu season, the recommended level of care is to give the flu shot to patients with community acquired pneumonia. This indicator is only applicable during flu season, which is October through February.

Blood culture performed before first antibiotic received in hospital
Different types of bacteria can cause pneumonia. The recommended level of care is to do a blood culture on eligible patients within 24 hours of arrival at the hospital and before antibiotics are started.

Adult smoking cessation advice/counseling
Smoking damages the lungs and can make it hard to breathe. Smoking increases your chances of getting pneumonia or other chronic lung diseases like emphysema and bronchitis. Smoking is also linked to lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, and can cause premature death. The recommended level of care is to give eligible patients smoking cessation counseling before they leave the hospital.

FOR SURGICAL INFECTION PROTECTION

Preventative antibiotic(s) given one hour before incision Getting an antibiotic within one hour before surgery reduces the risk of wound infections. The recommended level of care is to give eligible patients antibiotic(s) within one hour of surgery.

Antibiotic selection is appropriate
Some antibiotics work better than others to prevent wound infections for certain types of surgery. This measure shows how often hospital staff make sure patients get the right kind of preventive antibiotic medication for their surgery.

Preventative antibiotic(s) stopped within 24 hours of surgery
The recommended level of care is to stop giving eligible patients antibiotics within 24 hours after surgery to avoid side effects and other problems associated with antibiotic use. For certain surgeries, however, antibiotics may be needed for a longer time.

Surgery patients with recommended VTE ordered
Certain types of surgery can increase patients’ risk of having blood clots after surgery. For these types of surgery, this measure tells how often treatment to help prevent blood clots was ordered by the doctor.

Surgery patients who received appropriate VTE within 24 hours before or 24 hours after surgery
This measure tells how often patients having certain types of surgery received treatment to prevent blood clots in the period from 24 hours before surgery to 24 hours after surgery.