Document Detail


The use of an exclusion-based risk-assessment model for venous thrombosis improves uptake of appropriate thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized medical patients.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20621966     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Process    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism is a common condition in hospitalized medical patients. Numerous studies have demonstrated that low molecular weight heparin significantly reduces this risk but, despite this, the use of thromboprophylaxis remains poor.
AIM: To evaluate the use of an exclusion based risk-assessment model (RAM) for venous thrombosis in improving the uptake of appropriate thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized medical patients.
DESIGN: A survey with a subsequent audit cycle of three separate audits over 36 months.
METHODS: 497 hospitalized patients with acute medical conditions on general medical wards were audited at a secondary care centre in London, UK. The survey and subsequent audits were performed by reviewing the notes and medication charts of medical patients, prior to the launch of the RAM and at 12, 28 and 36 months following its introduction.
RESULTS: Prior to launching the RAM, 49% of hospitalized medical patients received appropriate thromboprophylaxis. This did not change 12 months after the RAM was introduced but increased significantly to 71% following formal education of the health care professionals involved in thromboprophylaxis prescription. This improvement was maintained as demonstrated by a subsequent audit 8 months later (75.9%).
CONCLUSION: The introduction of a simple exclusion-based RAM for venous thrombosis in medical patients significantly improved delivery of thromboprophylaxis. The successful uptake of the RAM appears to have been dependent on direct education of those health carers involved in its use. A similar exclusion-based model used nationally could have a significant impact on the burden of VTE currently experienced in the UK.
Authors:
C Bagot; S Gohil; R Perrott; S Barsam; R K Patel; R Arya
Related Documents :
19154556 - Ambiguous abbreviations: an audit of abbreviations in paediatric note keeping.
7665346 - An audit of the handling of medical negligence complaints by a health board.
21558536 - Medical missionaries to china: the jesuits.
11762896 - Medical audit: threat or opportunity for the medical profession. a comparative study of...
1994796 - Teaching medicine as a human experience: a patient-doctor relationship course for facul...
22375036 - Inadvertent prescription of gelatin-containing oral medication: its acceptability to pa...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-07-09
Journal Detail:
Title:  QJM : monthly journal of the Association of Physicians     Volume:  103     ISSN:  1460-2393     ISO Abbreviation:  QJM     Publication Date:  2010 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-26     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9438285     Medline TA:  QJM     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  597-605     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Haematology, 3rd Floor Macewen Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Castle Street, Glasgow, G4 0SF, UK. catherine.bagot@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Aortoenteric fistula in a patient with right common iliac aortic aneurysm.
Next Document:  Obstetric anal sphincter injury.