There certainly is such a thing as bacterial pneumonia. and it can be fatal. Depending on what sort of bacteria the 5 day course of treatment can be anywhere from 100% effective to only 70% likely to work. (strep bacteria are resistant to azithromycin at least 1 in three times). Since steroids are generally only necessary when there is wheeze and this does NOT occur as often with strep germs as with whooping cough (100% of which are highly sensitive to azithromycin), I strongly suspect the treatment was right. The pneumonia is a serious condition and if it isn t getting better it can be fatal. Looking at someone and knowing they are young, healthy, no other health problems can give a reliable predictor they won t need hospitalization. Listening to the lungs can diagnose pneumonia. These all seem quite likely the hospital did a very reasonable job and did NOT expose someone to radiation that they could do without. BUT, it is also contingent on the person getting better and being able to come bacck if they are getting worse. The medicines take at least 24 hrs to do anything. These medicines have a lag in their effect. Someone can get much worse in 12 hrs and these medicines could be perfect but they do not work immediately. If someone does get worse in 12 hrs, do not blame the hospital s actions AND get immediate help. At that hospital is probably best and fastest for everyone. There are possibilities that it s the flu. Flu medicine is amazingly helpful but only if it is given in the first 30 hrs of symptoms and otherwise it won t help a bit. A person may need oxygen until they get over the flu. So, may need to go back to the hospital even if they did everything right.