Question

VAP is an example of a hospital-acquired condition (HAC), a serious condition that develops after admission. Medicare does not pay hospitals for the costs incurred to care for HACs and hospitals cannot bill patients for them. VAP may soon be added to the CMS official listing of HACs.

True

False

Answer 1

VAP is an example of a hospital-acquired condition (HAC), a serious condition that develops after admission. Medicare does not pay hospitals for the costs incurred to care for HACs and hospitals cannot bill patients for them. VAP may soon be added to the CMS official listing of HACs.

- The above given statement is True

Ventilator associated pneumonia refers to a lung infection occurs in patient on mechanical ventilator. The mechanical ventilator is a device that is named as artificial lung, that helps patients to breathe. The oxygen is supplied through endotracheal tube. It is a hospital acquired infection develops 48 hours after intubation and connected with mechanical ventilator.

Medicare is the health insurance program given by the US government for elderly and disabled persons residing in America. As per medicare guidelines it will not pay for hospital acquired infections and negligence. Instead the bills has to be taken up by the hospitals. This forces the health care sector to improve quality and safe patient care.

Medicare and CDC has given guidelines to prevent VAP by providing VAP bundles:

- using alcohol based hand rubs, oral hygiene, proper positioning of the patients in semi recumbent position, maintaining endotracheal cuff pressure at 20 cm of H2O , Proper feeding techniques to prevent aspiration, avoiding suctioning after feeding, sedation policy, thromboprophylaxis to prevent DVT.