Venous Thromboembolism Retrospective Longitudinal Study: The Impact of Active Monitoring on VTE Management Practices of Healthcare Provider’s Towards Patient Outcomes
Abstract:
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a relatively common disease that stands as the leading cause of preventable deaths in developed nations. VTE encompasses deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) and affects both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. Because VTE is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality when untreated, accurate risk assessment and appropriate prophylaxis programs are vital, as overlooked risk factors of these processes can potentially result in misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment of the condition, with associated complications. This study aims to assess the impact of active monitoring on VTE management practices among healthcare providers towards patient outcomes at Imam Abdulrahman Al Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 2018 to July 2023. This study uses a longitudinal retrospective study design and data from 33,237 admitted patients were analyzed using a Statistical Process Control (SPC) chart to evaluate the relationship between VTE risk assessment, active monitoring and patient outcomes. Findings identified 11 cases of hospital-acquired VTE, with patients aged 18–40 years developed most cases (7 of 11 cases) and a male predominance of 54.5%. The overall VTE incidence rate during the study period was 0.31%, or one case per 11,000 admissions, having four cases of PE and seven DVT. The results of this study indicate that active monitoring through continuous education and regular patient rounds, significantly improves adherence to VTE risk assessment and prophylaxis at IAFH. The researchers attributed the increased identification and timely reporting of VTE cases to vigilance by healthcare providers and not to a decline in care quality. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary strategy to VTE management and continuous quality improvement can help reduce VTE-related morbidity and improve patient outcomes. Lastly, addressing risk factors involved in the occurrence of hospital-acquired VTE and post-discharge follow-up of patients were recommended.
