Key Findings

How did Utah quality of care compare with the nation from 2005 through 2007?

Utah overall (as a state) had a lower rate of expected deaths among adult pneumonia inpatients, compared to other similar patients in the U.S.  Rates and measures used are in parentheses.  510 (3.1%) of 16,237 adult pneumonia inpatients died in Utah hospitals (IQI 20).  
Among the 39 Utah hospitals that treated 30 or more adult pneumonia inpatients

• 11 hospitals had a lower rate of deaths than expected. 
• 28 hospitals had about the same rate of deaths as expected.   
• No hospital had a higher rate of deaths than expected.

There are many kinds of pneumonia as well as many causes and risk factors.  This report includes some of the more common kinds of bacterial, viral and mycoplasma pneumonia among adults. For more details, see the Technical Document.

Note that many factors can affect in-hospital pneumonia deaths at a particular hospital. The measures in this report include pneumonia patients with do not resuscitate orders and other pneumonia patients not expected to recover. Read more in About the Data.

How did hospital charges differ among Utah hospitals in 2007?

Average hospital charges for the adult pneumonia inpatients (APR-DRG 139 Other Pneumonia) in this report differed widely. Among the 39 Utah hospitals that reported charges for adult pneumonia inpatients,  
average hospital charge ranged  from

• $5,294 to $12,606 for patients at the minor/moderate severity of illness level
• $5,258 to $24,500 for patients at the major/extreme severity of illness level

As expected, average hospital charges for patients treated at the major/extreme severity of illness level tend to be higher than at the minor/moderate severity of illness level.  Often these patients require more complex treatment and longer hospital stays than patients at the minor/moderate illness level.  However, patients who are very ill and die before they receive much treatment or have “do not resuscitate” orders may have low charges.  Also, APR-DRG 139 Other Pneumonia includes several of the more common kinds of pneumonia, similar but not identical to the kinds in the quality indicators. See the Technical Document for details.

Note that many factors will affect hospital charges. Read more in About the Data .