Developing a tool to support clinical decision-making in treating pneumonia in hospital.
Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common causes of emergency hospital admission and can lead to serious illness or death if not managed effectively. Clinicians face complex decisions about investigations, antibiotics, escalation of care, and discharge planning – often in high-pressure environments. This project is developing a Clinical Decision Support Tool (CDST) to help standardise and improve the treatment of CAP by supporting NHS teams to follow evidence-based guidelines.
The project will combine NHS data analysis with co-design workshops involving clinicians, pharmacists, and patients to ensure the tool reflects real-world needs and supports safe, consistent care. The tool will also aim to reduce unnecessary variation in practice and ensure appropriate use of antibiotics.
Aims
- To identify variation in the investigation and treatment of CAP across hospital settings using NHS data.
- To co-develop a CDST that aligns with national guidelines and supports safer, more efficient decision-making.
- To engage clinicians and patients in designing the tool to ensure it integrates into hospital workflows.
- To support appropriate antibioticprescribing and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance.