Core Measures monitor how often patients receive timely recommended treatments for certain medical conditions.
In this section...
Heart Attack
A heart attack or acute myocardial infarction (MI) occurs when one of the arteries
that supplies the heart muscle becomes blocked. A blockage may be caused by a spasm
of the artery or by atherosclerosis, which is plaque in the arteries. The blockage
results in damaged tissue and a permanent loss of contraction of this portion of
the heart muscle. Timely diagnosis and treatment increases your chance of surviving
a heart attack. Preventative measures started after successful treatment can help
reduce the risk of another heart attack.
Heart Failure
Heart failure is a condition where a problem with the structure or function of the
heart prevents it from effectively pumping blood to the rest of the body. The treatment
of heart failure requires both an accurate assessment of the heart’s function and
therapy to increase the efficiency of the heart and reduce the work required to
pump blood effectively.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria, viruses or fungus in one or both lungs.
Millions of people in the United States develop pneumonia each year and many are
admitted to the hospital for treatment. Symptoms can include fever, shortness of
breath, a cough productive for discolored sputum and chest pain. Primary treatment
for bacterial pneumonia includes directed antibiotic therapy.
Surgical Care
In an effort to improve the quality of surgical care and reduce complications, the
Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) was started to review several aspects of
perioperative care. Measures to reduce postoperative infections, prevent blood clots
(venous thromboembolisms or VTE) and other cardiovascular complications are monitored
and reported.