Home > Improving Quality & Safety > Tools & Services > Safety Institute

VTE - Resources

Complimentary audio conference May 2-3 ET
VTE Prevention: from quality to safety

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) can lead to potentially fatal but preventable complications include deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

now for audio conference.

Resources for prevention
- VTE toolkits
- National initiatives and tools
Selected guidelines for VTE prevention
Education program: Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis
Premier Solutions

Resources for prevention

Guidelines for prophylaxis, educational programs, and tools for implementing successful prevention programs are available from a number of organizations. A few key resources are highlighted below.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored research
Preventing Venous Thromboembolisms in the Hospital and the Interactive Venous Thromboembolism Safety Toolkit for Providers and Patients toolkits focus on multidisciplinary approaches to the elimination of preventable hospital-acquired blood clots.

Preventing Venous Thromboembolisms in the Hospital
The Society of Hospital Medicine provides a Web site with multiple resources for VTE prevention including tools such as the VTE implementation guide and a 'snapshot' or template of a prevention plan.
Download SHM Guide (pdf) (914KB)
Download SHM Template (.doc) (120KB)
http://www.hospitalmedicine.org/
University of Washington, Seattle - Interactive VTE safety toolkit
Interactive Venous Thromboembolism Safety Toolkit for Providers and Patients
University of Washington, Seattle AHRQ Grant No. HS015898-01
This project implements safe practice interventions for patients with venous thromboembolism. An interactive safety toolkit contains multiple evidence-based tools for providers and patients to improve the safety of the process for the diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism, including:
- Patient education materials.
- Prevention guidelines.
- Screening and assessment materials.
- Treatment pathways.
Toolkit Web site: http://vte.son.washington.edu/

National initiatives and tools

CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services -
Surgical care improvement project
CMS's surgical care improvement project (SCIP) includes a process measure for
- Premier Web site - SCIP
  http://www.premierinc.com/quality-safety/tools-services/safety/topics/scip
- MedQIC – Support for state Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO)
  http://www.medqic.org/scip
- MedQIC –VTE related tools, literature, presentations, FAQs
  http://www.medqic.org/
IHI Institute for Healthcare Improvement
- IHI provides a comprehensive approach to preventing harm, educational tools and more resources for caregivers and families. One tool, the "Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Incidence Calculator" was developed by the Society of Hospital Medicine and can be used to estimate the number of hospital-acquired VTE and the proportion that are potentially preventable.
  http://www.ihi.org/
- Enter the number of beds at your hospital and the current VTE prophylaxis rate in the specified cells, and the tool will automatically calculate the incidence rate.
  Download VTE calculator (.xls) (20KB) for complete instructions.

Selected guidelines for VTE prevention

AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

"Diagnosis and treatment of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism "Evidence Report/Technology Assessment Number 68." Segal JB, Eng J, Jenckes MW, et al. AHRQ Publication No. 03-E016. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
March 2003.
Download VTE -TA (.pdf) (594KB)
http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/dvt/dvt.pdf

American College of Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians

Management of Venous Thromboembolism: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Available with subscription from Ann Intern Med. 2007;146: 204-210
http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/146/3/204.pdf

American College of Chest Physicians

Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism: The Seventh ACCP Conference on Antihrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy. Geerts WH, et al CHEST 2004; 126:338S–400S. Provides current peer-reviewed recommendations for prevention of VTE.
http://www.chestnet.org/education/guidelines/currentGuidelines.php

NGC National Guideline Clearinghouse

The National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC), a public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. NGC is an initiative of AHRQ—and searchable on desired topics. The general link is provided here – Search on VTE.
http://www.guideline.gov

NQF National Quality Forum

"National Consensus Standards for the Prevention and Care of Venous Thromboembolism (including Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism)" In 2003, recognizing that the incidence of DVT/VTE is a significant patient safety issue, NQF endorsed Safe Practice 17: Evaluate each patient upon admission, and regularly thereafter, for the risk of developing DVT/VTE. Utilize clinically appropriate methods to prevent DVT/VTE and Safe Practice 18: Utilize dedicated anti-thrombotic (anticoagulation) services that facilitate coordinated care management. NQF builds on Safe Practices 17 and 18 by developing and endorsing consensus standards in DVT/VTE prevention and care. Voting on the proposed standard will be completed by late March 2008.
Download NQF draft (pdf)(180KB) or go to
http://216.122.138.39/projects/ongoing/vte/index.asp

Education program: Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis

Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis - Case studies for implementing a systematic approach for DVT prevention, April 18, 2007

Faculty:

            Alpesh Amin, M.D., M.B.A. University of California, Irvine

            John R (Rick) LeMoine, MD FACP, Sharp HealthCare, San Diego

            Jennifer Bourguignon RN, Partanburg Regional Healthcare System, Spartanburg SC

Download audio recording, sample risk assessments and order forms. This program is part of Premier's Advisor Live Program Series

Premier Solutions

View all of Premier's solutions on preventing venous thromboembolisms.