1 0 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
A
re your
facility's
venous
throm-
boem-
bolism (VTE) rates
higher than the nation-
al standard of 3.72
events per 1,000
patient discharges? In
2016, our VTE rate
rose above that nation-
al benchmark and con-
tinued to climb into
early 2018.
To reduce our VTE
rate, we relied on the
expertise and insights
of an interdisciplinary
clinical team. After implementing the team's recommendations, the
VTE rate began trending downward from the highest rate of 10.01 in
January 2018 to 5.5 in July 2018 — a 42% reduction. Our current rate
has dropped even lower to 1.41. Here's how we achieved those
impressive results.
1. Coordination is key
The success of our VTE reduction efforts would have been impossible
Melissa LeCuyer, MSN, RN, NE-BC | Geneva, Ill.
How We're Fighting VTE — and Winning
Our prevention protocol reduced VTE incidents by 42% in 7 months.
• INDIVIDUALIZED CARE The preventative measures you'll use will be dictated
by a specific patient's risk assessment results.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
