Improving Adherence to Guidelines for VTE Prevention

While the implementation of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' venous thromboembolism (VTE) measure group gave the hospital an incentive to improve its recognition and prophylactic treatment of VTEs, its biggest motivation came from one of its own employees who acquired the ailment after an unfortunate series of life-threatening events.

During the hospital's journey to improve the process, it encountered many problems, including the actual assessment tool and its use, usage of the prophylactic order set and the newly implemented physician order entry. With the implementation of a nurse-driven protocol, the hospital was able to overcome its obstacles and ultimately improve its compliance significantly. Data from the first quarter after implementation of the nurse-driven protocol showed a dramatic compliance rate increase of 29.17 percent.

This case study is part of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association's annual Quality Excellence Achievement Awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals and health systems in continually improving and transforming health care in the state. These organizations are improving health by striving to achieve the Triple Aim—improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction), improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of health care—and the Institute of Medicine's six aims for improvement—safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. To learn more, visit https://www.ihaqualityawards.org/javascript-ui/IHAQualityAward/