CDC’s HA-VTE Prevention Challenge

Doctors standing around patient in hospital bed

Calling All Healthcare Systems to Help Prevent Healthcare-Associated Blood Clots! Win $10,000 for Sharing Your Successful Prevention Strategies!

A blood clot that occurs as a result of hospitalization, surgery, or other healthcare treatment or procedure is called healthcare-associated venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE). Blood clots are a costly and deadly public health issue. Approximately 900,000 Americans are affected by blood clots each year and half of these are related to a recent hospitalization or surgery. Although 70% of healthcare-associated blood clots are preventable, fewer than 50% of patients actually receive preventive treatment. Preventing HA-VTE in patients can result in a major decrease in the occurrence of blood clots, illness, financial costs, and death. To support and promote HA-VTE prevention, HHS and CDC announce the 2015 HA-VTE Prevention Challenge and invite all eligible organizations to apply today!

About the Challenge

The goal of the 2015 HA-VTE Prevention Challenge is to identify hospitals, multi-hospital systems, hospital networks, and managed care organizations that have implemented an innovative and effective VTE prevention strategy using one or more interventions (for example: VTE protocols and order sets, risk assessment, electronic alerts, clinical decision support tools, performance monitoring systems and dashboards, patient and/or provider education and awareness, post-discharge follow-up, etc.) designed to increase VTE prevention.

Healthcare-Associated VTE Prevention Challenge

Why enter?

The challenge will

bring prestige to organizations that invest in VTE prevention,
improve understanding of successful implementation strategies at the health system level, and
motivate health systems to strengthen their VTE prevention efforts.

The top-judged organizations found to have implemented innovative and effective VTE prevention strategies will be recognized as HA-VTE Prevention Champions. CDC will document these successful strategies and highlight the systems, processes, and staffing that contributed to exceptional VTE prevention outcomes achieved by Champions. Champions will receive a cash prize (if eligible) and other forms of recognition.

Who can enter?

Any healthcare organization that has a successful and innovative HA-VTE prevention strategy is encouraged to enter the challenge. Specifically, we are seeking submissions from

U.S. non-federal hospitals
multi-hospital systems
hospital networks
managed care organizations
U.S. federal entities and international entities will be eligible for non-cash award recognition

How can you enter?

Entering is easy! Your organization can be recognized and awarded for its efforts by taking three simple steps:

Step 1: Go to the HA-VTE Prevention Challenge website to review the rules and enter the submission portal.

Step 2: Fill out the online nomination form describing your HA-VTE prevention strategy.

Step 3: Click "submit" for the chance to be a HA-VTE Prevention winner!

Enter any time between now and January 10, 2016!

How will submissions be judged?

A panel of three to five judges from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies will review and score challenge submissions using the information provided on the nomination form. Entries will be scored based on three criteria:

Methods (how well the applicant was able to develop and carry out a scientifically sound strategy to achieve the intended outcomes)
Results (how well the strategy increased VTE prevention in the healthcare setting)
Feasibility/utility (how easily the strategy can be used or adapted within the healthcare setting and result in reduced HA-VTE rates over time)

What can Challenge entrants win?

An estimated 7 of the highest scoring entrants will be recognized as HA-VTE Prevention Champions and will receive a cash award of $10,000 each. Winning submissions received from U.S. Federal entities and international entities will be eligible for non-cash award recognition. All Champions will be recognized by CDC. Success stories showing clinical systems and strategies used by Champions to improve VTE prevention will be promoted and shared on the CDC website.