Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital Achieves Grade 1 in '2023 Pneumonia Adequacy Evaluation'

[Financial News] Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital announced on the 18th that it received the highest grade of 1 in the '2023 (6th) Pneumonia Adequacy Evaluation' announced by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, scoring 97.7 points, following the 2021 (5th) evaluation (96.9 points) for two consecutive times.
 The 6th Pneumonia Adequacy Evaluation was conducted from October 2023 to March 2024 over six months, targeting 45,509 cases at 46 advanced general hospitals, 304 general hospitals, and 248 hospitals, totaling 599 medical institutions, where adult patients aged 18 and over were hospitalized for pneumonia and received antibiotic treatment for more than three days.
 The evaluation was conducted based on a total of 5 evaluation indicators, including △oxygen saturation test rate △severity assessment tool usage rate △sputum culture test prescription rate △blood culture test rate before the first antibiotic administration △antibiotic administration rate within 8 hours of hospital arrival, as well as 4 monitoring indicators, including △length of stay per case △high-cost treatment per case △readmission rate △mortality rate.
 Pneumonia is the most common infectious disease worldwide, with high prevalence and mortality rates among the elderly population. In particular, pneumonia ranks third among the causes of death in Korea, with the pneumonia mortality rate reaching 57.5 per 100,000 population in 2023, and increasing with age, recorded as 1.6 for those in their 40s, 23.9 for those in their 60s, and 130.7 for those in their 70s.
 Pneumonia is an infectious disease where inflammation occurs in the lung tissue due to bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc., causing symptoms such as sputum, cough, difficulty breathing, fever, and chills. In severe cases, sepsis or shock may occur, and non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and diarrhea may also appear.
 The pneumococcus, known as a causative agent of pneumonia, is transmitted through the respiratory tract, but there are over 90 known causative agents of pneumonia other than pneumococcus. It is important to identify the causative agent and administer appropriate antibiotic treatment to treat pneumonia.
 Kwon Gye-chul, director of Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital, said, “We are doing our best to provide high-quality medical services and take responsibility for the health of local residents through accurate diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia.”
kwj5797@fnnews.com Kim Won-jun Reporter