title: Improving venous thromboembolism prevention processes and outcomes at a community hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients in the United States. Quality improvement (QI) strategies to increase the rates of prophylaxis in patients at-risk for VTE have been shown to be successful. The development of a formal, active strategy addressing the prevention of VTE, as a written, institutionwide VTE prophylaxis policy, presents a challenge for hospitals
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2007 a multidisciplinary VTE committee was initiated to develop and implement a hospitalwide QI program to standardize VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis prescribing practices at Saint Francis Hospital (Tulsa, Oklahoma). The QI program included clinician education, VTE order set and electronic trigger implementation, and changes in mechanical prophylaxis usage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The VTE prophylaxis order set was successfully piloted and implemented hospitalwide within three months of the project's initiation. Standardization of VTE prophylaxis practices across surgical and medical specialties was the key aim of this QI program. As a result, patient-related outcomes were also improved. The number of hospital-acquired VTE events decreased from 123 (0.39%) in 2008 to 99 (0.32%) in 2009 and 87 (0.27%) in 2010, and a reduction in the VTE rate between 2008 and 2010 of 31.6%. There was a significant decrease between 2008 and 2010 in the number of hospital-acquired VTE events (p = .035).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Keys to the success of this QI program included leveraging multidisciplinary VTE committee members, physician champions, multiple approaches to communication and education, and providing evidence to support the changes. Sharing the hospital's QI process may provide a model for other hospitals challenged with developing and sustaining positive outcomes in patients at risk for VTE.
authors.affiliation: Saint Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. jrgray@saintfrancis.com
authors.forename: Jeanine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Ivy
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Razmus
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011367:Professional Staff Committees / Q000458:organization & administration; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017010:Reminder Systems; D018570:Risk Assessment; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants