Documents on Hospital-Associated Venous Thromboembolism

CDC Expert Panel on Hospital-Associated Venous Thromboembolism

Meeting Summary Of Expert Panel

On August 19, 2011, the Division of Blood Disorders, National Center on Birth Defects and Disabilities, CDC, convened an expert panel of global experts to discuss future research and policy directions for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE). This topic is one of several key priority areas identified in the “Partnership for Patients” initiative.

This initiative is aimed at protecting patients in America’s health care facilities through the prevention of health care-acquired conditions such as venous thromboembolism (VTE).
At this expert panel, invited guests presented and discussed the following topics:

Public health importance of VTE prevention

VTE prophylaxis among hospitalized patients

Design and implementation of effective VTE prevention protocols

Hospital systems-level interventions for VTE prevention

Learn more about the discussions held at this expert panel meeting.

Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) calls thromboprophylaxis against VTE the “number one patient safety practice.”¹ Proven quality improvement frameworks are needed in hospitals in order to realize improvements in the prevention of HA-VTE. This guide offers a framework to help quality improvement leaders (e.g., hospitalists and others involved in hospital quality improvement programs) achieve key milestones of successful quality improvement initiatives. For more information on the AHRQ guide, see http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/vtguide/

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Shojania KJ, Duncan BW, McDonald KM, Wachter RM, Markowitz AJ. Making health care safer: A critical analysis of patient safety practices. Evid Rep Technol Assess (Summ). 2001;(43):i-x, 1-668.

Maynard G, Stein J. Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement. Prepared by the Society of Hospital Medicine. AHRQ Publication No. 08-0075. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. August 2008.

Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism

On September 15, 2008, Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson released the Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism .