What is VAP?
Critically ill patients may require the assistance of a ventilator to breathe. When ventilated, microorganisms may get into the patient’s lungs causing pneumonia or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
What does this indicator show?
This indicator shows the rate of newly diagnosed Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) cases in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after at least 48 hours of being placed on a ventilator (occasionally or continuously).
How is VAP calculated?
| Total number of newly diagnosed VAP cases for ICU patients 18 years and older after at least 48 hours of being placed on a ventilator |
x 1000 |
| Total number of ventilator days (days spent on a ventilator) for ICU patients 18 years and older |
Why does TBRHSC track VAP?
Measuring, monitoring, and reporting VAP rates is one part of a comprehensive Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) program. The information gathered can assist hospitals with evaluating the effectiveness of their IPAC interventions and make further improvements based on this information.
The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care introduced public reporting as part of a comprehensive plan to improve transparency and accountability related to hospital care. VAP data is entered into CCIS (Critical Care Information System) and cases are reported to the public on a quarterly basis.
Source: http://www.hqontario.ca/System-Performance/Hospital-Patient-Safety-Performance
