A comparative approach to deep vein thrombosis risk assessment.
Trauma patients are at risk for developing DVT/PE. The Bronson Trauma Model incorporates a DVT scoring system into the daily routine for all injured patients admitted to the Trauma Care Unit. Dr Paul Blostein added the DVT Risk Assessment spreadsheet to his personal digital assistant and made it available to other members of the team to allow calculation of a patient's DVT risk percentage during daily multidisciplinary rounds in the Trauma Care Unit. The Trauma Program has found the incorporation of the scoring systems into the trauma registry to be a value-added component of our performance improvement process. Bronson's unique model of trauma care, where patients are admitted and discharged from the same room, combined with today's technology of wireless laptops and personal digital assistants, promotes a progressive approach to DVT/PE prophylaxis and performance improvement. Our trauma follow-up program has proven to be effective in reintegrating patients back into the trauma system to optimize their functional status and improve their outcome.
Hums
Wendy
W
Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI, USA. humsw@bronsonhg.org
Blostein
Paul
P
D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing