The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) is hosting its two-day annual conference at the 2024 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM 2024) from June 18–19, drawing healthcare professionals dedicated to advancing the quality and safety of vascular care.
This event, organized with the assistance of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among medical practitioners.
The VQI has assembled a network of 14 registries, compiling comprehensive data from more than one million vascular procedures conducted across the U.S., Canada and Singapore. This dataset, which tracks patient information from initial hospitalization through one-year follow-up, enables medical centers and providers to benchmark their performance against regional and national standards.
Participants in the VQI receive biannual dashboards and regular performance reports, empowering them to implement effective quality improvement measures. Additionally, biannual regional meetings provide a platform for physicians, nurses, data managers, quality officers and other stakeholders to share insights and best practices in a collaborative environment. The biannual Mid-America meeting will take place during the VQI meeting on Wednesday, June 19, at 5 p.m. Central Time.
Jens Eldrup-Jorgensen, MD, the medical director of the SVS Patient Safety Organization (PSO), emphasized the transformative impact of VQI data on vascular care. “By leveraging comprehensive clinical data, we can enhance the quality of care at both local and national levels, reducing complications and healthcare costs,” he stated. The data support risk stratification, outcomes analysis, quality improvement initiatives and the development of best practices.
A key technological underpinning of the VQI is the Fivos PATHWAYS platform, a secure, cloud-based system that facilitates real-time data collection and long-term outcomes assessment. This technology has been instrumental in helping participating centers improve patient care, driving scientific discoveries and ultimately saving lives.
During the sessions on Tuesday, June 18, VQI will showcase updates and enhancements to its Fivos registry reporting and product offerings. These improvements aim to better integrate electronic medical records (EMR), enhance reporting capabilities and update product features. Fivos has introduced reports covering various procedures, including carotid artery stenting (CAS), carotid endarterectomy (CEA), endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), peripheral vascular intervention, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), hemodialysis access, venous, inferior vena cava (IVC) filter and infrainguinal bypass.
The 2023 claims validation process has significantly improved, with reminders sent to all relevant centers. The deadline for completing the validation—including all reconciliation steps and corrections to PATHWAYS data—is July 15.
Also on Wednesday, the conference will delve into 30-day readmissions and their relation to initial index procedures. A recent study analyzed one-month readmission rates to understand their relationship to initial procedures, aiming to identify patterns and potential improvements in patient outcomes.
Conducted from October 2018 to November 2023 with a sample size of 3,443 procedures, the study collected readmission data on 3,395 patients, with 331 readmitted within 30 days. The findings underscore the complexity of readmissions and highlight the need for a nuanced classification system to address patient care post-procedure.
“As VQI and VAM 2024 continue to push the boundaries of vascular care, the collaborative spirit and innovative advancements showcased at this year’s meeting highlight the ongoing dedication to improving patient outcomes and advancing the field of vascular surgery,” said Eldrup-Jorgensen.
To register for the VQI conference, visit vascular.org/VQI24.
