The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) is a medical society comprised of hospitalists that exists to promote exceptional care for hospitalized patients.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), encompassing pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality.1 Hospitalists often care for patients with VTE and can lead their institutions in safe approaches to treatment by developing strategies to operationalize cost-effective programs that will improve patient outcomes and reduce financial burden.
Recent increases in the number of available anticoagulants, advances in diagnostic algorithms, risk stratification and prognostication tools have rapidly transformed the care of VTE patients over the past several years. New advances include easier and safer treatment options, and cost-effective diagnostic strategies and tools that help triage PE patients with “large clots” toward thrombolysis and patients with “small clots” toward outpatient management without the need for prolonged hospitalization. Additionally, SHM and its partners have developed effective strategies for the prevention of long-term consequences of VTE, including recurrence and post-thrombotic syndrome.
1Lenchus, J. D., Biehl, M., Cabrera, J., Moraes, A. G. D., & Dezfulian, C. (2017). In-Hospital Management and Follow-Up Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism: Focus on New and Emerging Treatments. Journal of Intensive Care Medicine, 32(5), 299-311.
