AMGA Launches Effort to Improve Care Transitions for Patients with Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
Alexandria, VA – Today, AMGA announced an initiative, VTE Care Transitions, to improve care for patients with venous thromboembolism. AMGA will use new methods from implementation science to improve the discharge process for patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), both manifestations of VTE. It will include patients discharged from the hospital and those treated in the emergency department (ED) and released.
AMGA recently facilitated discussions with 12 AMGA member healthcare organizations to identify best practices in managing hospitalized nonsurgical patients with VTE. Primary treatment for VTE involves anticoagulation for three to six months, and these experts identified the transition of care upon discharge as a key challenge. While all participants had protocols and pathways for care in the ED and the hospital, most were still working on improving the discharge process.
AMGA has assembled a team of expert advisors who will guide and assist the six AMGA member organizations participating in the one-year VTE Care Transitions project. It is the first project in AMGA’s new, Accelerating System Progress with Implementation Research and Education (ASPIRE) program, which is designed to empower participants and AMGA members through proven methods for catalyzing change in complex organizations.
“For years, AMGA has used robust analytics and qualitative evaluation to identify interventions yielding cost-effective care that enhances quality,” said Jerry Penso, M.D., M.B.A., AMGA president and chief executive officer. “The VTE Care Transitions project and other ASPIRE programs will help members spread these and other evidence-based interventions into everyday practice.”
There are an estimated 900,000 new cases of VTE and 100,000 deaths each year. Because readmissions are largely preventable identifying and implementing evidence-based interventions to improve care transitions can save lives and reduce overall cost.
A description of the AMGA member healthcare organizations enrolled in VTE Care Transitions and information about each of the advisors is available here.
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About AMGA’s ASPIRE Program
Accelerating System Progress with Implementation Research and Education (ASPIRE) is a new AMGA program designed to facilitate change, using methods grounded in implementation science to increase the widespread adoption of evidence-based practice. Each ASPIRE project is led by a multidisciplinary team of national experts in clinical and operational healthcare management, implementation science, and population health. Members participating in ASPIRE projects receive individualized support from advisors in guideline and measure development, as well as design and implementation of internal workflow processes. AMGA’s research and analytics team conducts rigorous evaluations for each ASPIRE project to document changes in workflow and communication and to disseminate successful approaches to other AMGA members. For more information, contact research@amga.org.
About AMGA
AMGA is a trade association leading the transformation of health care in America. Representing multispecialty medical groups and integrated systems of care, we advocate, educate, innovate, and empower our members to deliver the next level of high performance health. AMGA is the national voice promoting awareness of our members’ recognized excellence in the delivery of coordinated, high-quality, high-value care. Over 177,000 physicians practice in our member organizations, delivering care to more than one in three Americans.