JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Pneumonia is a frequent cause of hospitalization and death among elderly patients, but the relationships between processes of care for pneumonia and outcomes are uncertain, making quality improvement a challenge. ⋯ Administering antibiotics within 8 hours of hospital arrival and collecting blood cultures within 24 hours were associated with improved survival. The fact that states varied widely in the performance of these measures suggests that opportunities exist to improve hospital care of elderly patients with pneumonia.