Treatment quality has improved for heart attacks, other ailments at US hospitals, report says
By APWednesday, September 22, 2010
Quality of care up at US hospitals, report says
CHICAGO — A report says treatment has improved substantially at U.S. hospitals for several ailments including heart attack, pneumonia and children’s asthma.
The report released Wednesday is based on more than 3,000 hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission, an independent regulatory group.
On average, hospitals in the report gave recommended heart attack treatment almost 98 percent of the time in 2009, versus 89 percent in 2002. That includes aspirin upon arriving and aspirin and beta blockers upon leaving.
For pneumonia, recommended treatment was given almost 93 percent of the time in 2009. That compares with 72 percent in 2002. And for asthma care in children, it was 88 percent versus 71 percent in the year 2007.
