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CHICAGO, June 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Patient advocates and leading medical societies involved in awareness building and improving patient safety in Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) gathered recently for the 1st Annual Anticoagulation Summit, a two-day conference.

Michael Wong, JD, founder and Executive Director of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS), presented a poster on the OB VTE Safety Recommendations, which were released by PPAHS, in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement  and the National Perinatal Association. The recommendations, compiled by a panel of health experts, give clinicians a step-by-step checklist to help assess all OB patients' risks for VTE and identify the appropriate prophylaxis regimen to improve health outcomes for maternal patients.

To download a copy of the OB VTE Safety Recommendations, please click here.

Although not presented at the Anticoagulation Summit, PPAHS has also developed the Stroke VTE Safety Recommendations. The Stroke VTE Safety Recommendations may help reduce death and disability among stroke victims due to VTE. Developed by a group of leading neurological health and patient safety experts brought together by PPAHS, the Stroke VTE Safety Recommendations provide four concise steps:

1. Assess all admitted patients with a stroke or rule out stroke diagnosis for VTE risk with an easy to use checklist.
2. Provide the recommended prophylaxis regimen, which includes the use of mechanical prophylaxis and anticoagulant therapy.
3. Reassesses the patient every 24 hours, prior to any surgical or procedural intervention or change in the patient's condition.
4. Ensure that the patient is provided appropriate VTE instructions and information upon hospital discharge or transition to rehabilitation.

A pdf of the Stroke VTE Safety Recommendations can be viewed by clicking here.

Both the OB VTE Safety Recommendations and the Stroke VTE Safety Recommendations are free resources on the PPAHS website.

Commenting on the Annual Anticoagulation Summit., Mr Wong said, "The Summit provided a useful forum for advocates working to reduce the incidence of VTE-related adverse events to share resources they had developed, as well future program goals and objectives. By sharing, I hope that these patient safety efforts will be enhanced and provide coordination rather than duplication of efforts."

PPAHS invites all those involved to write articles for the PPAHS blog about resources they have developed.

About Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety

Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety is a non-profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to promote safer clinical practices and standards for patients through collaboration among healthcare experts, professionals, scientific researchers, and others, in order to improve healthcare delivery. For more information, please go to www.ppahs.org.

SOURCE Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety