A multidisciplinary quality improvement educational initiative to improve the rate of deep-vein thrombosis prophylaxis

• Published in: The International journal of pharmacy practice Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 92 - 95
• Main Authors: Vyas, Deepti, Bearelly, Dilip, Boshard, Barbara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-02-2014; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: clinical interventions; clinical practice; Humans; interprofessional issues; Medical treatment; other; Patient Care Team; Pilot Projects; Quality control; Quality Improvement; Risk Assessment - methods; Thrombosis; Venous Thrombosis - prevention & control; clinical practice; other; interprofessional issues; clinical interventions
• ISSN: 0961-7671; 2042-7174
• DOI: 10.1111/ijpp.12024

Purpose
To describe a quality improvement initiative to improve deep‐vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis rates among hospitalized medicine patients.
Methods
A standardized admission order‐set with an embedded risk‐assessment tool and DVT prophylaxis orders was developed.
Results
An audit 2 months after the intervention showed the use of optimal DVT prophylaxis was 91%, an increase from 75%. Chart review 1 year after the implementation of the order‐set revealed that the increase in DVT prophylaxis was sustained at 95%.
Conclusion
The use of formalized quality improvement methods to implement an intervention is effective in changing physician behaviour.