Hospital Process of Care Measures Graphs | |
Note: Use the information in Hospital Compare with the other information you gather about hospitals as you decide where to get hospital services. You may want to contact your health care provider, your State Survey Agency or your state Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for more information. If you have a complaint about the quality of the medical care you or a loved one received at a hospital, first contact the hospital’s patient advocate. Or, contact your state QIO. If you have other complaints about a health care facility, contact your State Survey Agency. Their phone numbers can be found at medicare.gov/Helpful Contacts. Additional information about hospitals may be found on the state websites.
Surgical Care Improvement Project
Graph 1 of 5
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Percent of surgery patients who were given an antibiotic at the right time (within one hour before surgery) to help prevent infection |
The rates displayed in this graph are from data reported for discharges April 2008 through March 2009.
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Why is this Important?
Surgical wound infections can be prevented. Medical research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their surgery are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective. Hospital staff should make sure surgery patients get antibiotics at the right time.
Higher percentages are better.
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Graph 2 of 5
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Percent of surgery patients who were given the right kind of antibiotic to help prevent infection |
The rates displayed in this graph are from data reported for discharges April 2008 through March 2009.
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Why is this Important?
Surgical wound infections can be prevented. Medical research has shown that certain antibiotics work better to prevent wound infections for certain types of surgery. Hospital staff should make sure patients get the antibiotic that works best for their type of surgery.
Higher percentages are better.
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Graph 3 of 5
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Percent of surgery patients whose preventive antibiotics were stopped at the right time (within 24 hours after surgery) |
The rates displayed in this graph are from data reported for discharges April 2008 through March 2009.
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Why is this Important?
Antibiotics are often given to patients before surgery to prevent infection. Taking these antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery is usually not necessary. Continuing the medication longer than necessary can increase the risk of side effects such as stomach aches and serious types of diarrhea. Also, when antibiotics are used for too long, patients can develop resistance to them and the antibiotics won’t work as well.
Higher percentages are better.
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Graph 4 of 5
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Percent of surgery patients whose doctors ordered treatments to prevent blood clots after certain types of surgeries |
The rates displayed in this graph are from data reported for discharges April 2008 through March 2009.
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Why is this Important?
Certain surgeries increase the risk that the patient will develop a blood clot (venous thromboembolism). When patients stay still for a long time after some types of surgery, they are more likely to develop a blood clot in the veins of the legs, thighs, or pelvis. A blood clot slows down the flow of blood, causing swelling, redness, and pain. A blood clot can also break off and travel to other parts of the body. If the blood clot gets into the lung, it is a serious problem that can cause death.
To help prevent blood clots from forming after surgery, doctors can order treatments to be used just before or after the surgery. These include blood-thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that help with blood flow in the legs.
Higher percentages are better.
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Graph 5 of 5
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Percent of patients who got treatment at the right time (within 24 hours before or after their surgery) to help prevent blood clots after certain types of surgery |
The rates displayed in this graph are from data reported for discharges April 2008 through March 2009.
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Why is this Important?
Many factors influence a surgery patient’s risk of developing a blood clot, including the type of surgery. When patients stay still for a long time after some types of surgery, they are more likely to develop a blood clot in the veins of the legs, thighs, or pelvis. A blood clot slows down the flow of blood, causing swelling, redness, and pain. A blood clot can also break off and travel to other parts of the body. If the blood clot gets into the lung, it is a serious problem that can sometimes cause death.
Treatments to help prevent blood clots from forming after surgery include blood-thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that help with blood flow in the legs. These treatments need to be started at the right time, which is typically during the period that begins 24 hours before surgery and ends 24 hours after surgery.
Higher percentages are better.
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Page Last Updated: December 16, 2009