Jeonnam National University Hospital Named Top Hospital for Pneumonia Treatment for Six Consecutive Years

Jeonnam National University Hospital exterior.

Jeonnam National University Hospital announced on July 22 that it has received the top Grade 1 rating for the sixth consecutive time in the 6th Pneumonia Appropriateness Assessment conducted by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. This achievement marks the hospital's consistent maintenance of the highest rating since the evaluation began in 2014, demonstrating that Jeonnam National University Hospital has established itself as a leading institution nationwide in responding to infectious diseases.

As of 2022, pneumonia ranked as the third leading cause of death in South Korea and is the only infectious disease included among the top ten causes of death.

Accordingly, from October 2023 to March of the previous year, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service conducted an appropriateness assessment of 599 or more hospitals nationwide, targeting adult patients aged 18 or older who were hospitalized with pneumonia and received antibiotic treatment. The agency has been regularly evaluating hospitals nationwide by comprehensively assessing whether appropriate tests were conducted, the proper use of antibiotics, and the evaluation of inpatient care processes to ensure appropriate treatment for pneumonia.

In this assessment, Jeonnam National University Hospital received a total score of 98.8 points, significantly higher than the national average of 82.9 points. The hospital also achieved perfect scores in key clinical indicators, including the rate of oxygen saturation testing, the prescription rate of sputum culture tests, and the rate of performing blood culture tests before the first administration of antibiotics.

This outstanding performance by Jeonnam National University Hospital is attributed to the systematic application of standardized clinical guidelines across all aspects of infection management, including early diagnosis and accurate treatment of pneumonia patients and the prevention of antibiotic misuse and overuse. The expertise of medical staff and the rapid response system of nursing personnel also played a crucial role in this achievement.

President Jung Shin stated, "Pneumonia can be a life-threatening disease, especially for the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, so a rapid and accurate initial response is extremely important." He added, "Jeonnam National University Hospital will continue to strengthen its capacity to respond to infectious diseases as a regional public medical institution and will do its utmost to create a safe medical environment."