Pneumococcal Immunization in the Physican Office Setting

Why is this important?

Pneumococcal pneumonia is a very common illness among the elderly and can lead to death for those with serious heart or lung disease, regardless of their age.  It can also be a more serious illness for those with diabetes and other diseases that weaken the body’s immune system.  Experts recommend pneumococcal vaccinations for all adults over the age of 65 and younger individuals with certain chronic illnesses. 

How WellSpan Compares

The physicians of the WellSpan Medical Group closely measure how consistently they provide pneumococcal vaccinations to all adult patients over the age of 65 and younger patients with certain chronic illnesses.  The following shows the percentage of these patients who have had the pneumococcal immunization.

Unit of Measurement: Percentage

A higher score is better than a lower score.

What we are doing to improve our performance.

The WellSpan Medical Group systematically studies its rates of pneumococcal immunizations.  Information is provided to physicians, nurses and support staff regarding levels of achievement.  Practice locations that have not met the largest levels of immunizations are developing plans for improvement in this area.  In addition, the Medical Group is developing new outpatient guidelines which help physicians decide whether to hospitalize patients based on their clinical appearance.