title: Reduction of Venous Thromboembolism in Surgical Patients Using a Mandatory Risk-Scoring System: 5-Year Follow-Up of an American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sheikh Khalifa Medical City's (SKMC) surgery institute was identified as a high outlier in the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE; deep vein thrombosis [DVT] and pulmonary embolism [PE]) based on the semiannual report of the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) in June 2010.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report our rates of VTE at SKMC, the results, and 5-year follow-up after an ACS NSQIP quality improvement program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multidisciplinary VTE task force was established in June 2010. We instituted a compulsory risk assessment for VTE and utilized the ACS NSQIP best practice guidelines to review cases of VTE. We prospectively evaluated the observed/expected (O/E) ratio for DVT/PE after implementing the action plan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The O/E ratio for PE/DVT in general and general/vascular (GV) surgery was 6.00 and 4.86 in June 2010. Our compliance with ordering antithrombotic prophylactic measures was as low and it improved to 100% and our O/E ratio decreased to 1.18 and 1.5 in July 2011 and stabilized for the next 4 years. Currently, our compliance with ordering antithrombotic prophylactic measures is 100%, and our last 2 O/E ratio for DVT/PE are 0.74 and 0.75 in GV surgery and 0.82 and 0.78 in the entire surgery institute, respectively, and we are considered an exemplary site of the ACS NSQIP in GV surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A compulsory risk assessment for VTE has led to an overall improvement in DVT/PE rates in the surgery institute and for GV surgery to become an exemplary site for the ACS NSQIP.
authors.affiliation: 1 Surgery Institute, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
authors.forename: Abdelrahman A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nimeri
authors.affiliation: 2 Surgery Residency, Integrated ACGME-I accredited Program, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
authors.forename: Maysoon M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gamaleldin
authors.affiliation: 2 Surgery Residency, Integrated ACGME-I accredited Program, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.affiliation: 3 Quality Institute, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
authors.forename: Nicolas P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Turrin
authors.affiliation: 4 Internal Medicine Institute, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
authors.forename: Bisher O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Mustafa
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D066231:Surgeons; D014481:United States; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: ACS NSQIP; quality improvement project; venous thromboembolism