(Ventilator Associated Pneumonia)

What is a Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)?
For our public reporting purposes, ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as a pneumonia (lung infection) occurring in patients in an intensive care unit (ICU), requiring external mechanical breathing support (a ventilator) intermittently or continuously, through a breathing tube for more than 48 hours.

VAP can develop in patients for many reasons. Because they are relying on an external machine to breath, their normal coughing, yawning, and deep breath reflexes are suppressed. Furthermore, they may have a depressed immune system, making them more vulnerable to infection.  ICU teams have many ways to try to assist patients with these normal breathing reflexes, but despite this, patients are still at risk for developing pneumonia.

What will be publicly reported?

The number of CLI cases that developed in the ICU. The VAP rate (per 1000 central line days)

Formulae: (total # of ICU cases of  VAP after 48 hours of mechanical ventilation  total # of ventilator days for ICU patients 18 years and older)  1000

Note: Reporting of VAP rates is not applicable for AHI as they do not have ICU beds.

What is the rate at TDMH?