The Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI), in collaboration with the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), will convene its ninth annual conference (June 3–4) during this year’s Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM 2025) in the Morial Convention Center (Second Floor, R08–R09) in New Orleans, bringing together healthcare professionals to advance the quality and safety of vascular care.
This two-day event will spotlight VQI’s latest achievements, including the expansion of its registry network, the launch of a new educational series, and enhancements to its data reporting platform. With more than 1,000 participating centers and more than one million vascular procedures recorded, the VQI continues to be a cornerstone of data-driven quality improvement in vascular health. According to the 2024 SVS VQI Annual Report, the initiative has seen steady growth, now encompassing a diverse mix of academic institutions (26%), teaching hospitals (30%), and community hospitals (44%). Physician participation spans multiple specialties, with vascular surgeons making up 42% of contributors, followed by interventional cardiologists, radiologists and other specialists.
“The impact of VQI data on clinical practice and patient outcomes cannot be overstated,” said Jens Eldrup-Jorgensen, MD, the SVS Patient Safety Organization (PSO) medical director. “Our collaborative efforts have not only improved care delivery but also fostered global partnerships through the International Consortium of Vascular Registries [ICVR].”
This year’s conference introduces a number of updates:
- Renaming of Participation Awards: The SVS VQI Participation Awards program, launched in 2016, has been renamed the Commitment to Vascular Quality Improvement Award to better reflect its mission of encouraging active engagement in quality initiatives.
- New VQI Centers: Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital (Mid-America) and Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, Inc. (Mid-Atlantic) have joined the VQI network.
- Smoking Cessation Educational Series: A 12-part monthly series that launched in January 2025 will provide comprehensive education on smoking cessation. Developed by Director of Quality Betsy Wymer, DNP, the series is open to physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers (APPs) and patients.
“Smoking cessation remains the most important task healthcare workers can offer their patients,” said Kendra Smith, RN. “This series is a powerful tool for change.”
On Tuesday, June 3, attendees will receive updates on the Fivos PATHWAYS platform, the secure, cloud-based system that powers VQI’s real-time data collection and long-term outcomes tracking. Enhancements include security toolkits to enhance the security posture of its systems.
Wednesday’s sessions will focus on the third National Quality Initiative (NQI), introduced in 2023, with a deep dive into the Smoking Cessation NQI. This underscores the VQI’s commitment to addressing modifiable risk factors and long-term outcomes.
“As the VQI continues to grow and evolve, its mission remains clear: to harness the power of data and collaboration to elevate vascular care. With new tools, expanded participation and a renewed focus on education and equity, the 2025 conference promises to be a pivotal moment in the journey toward better vascular health for all,” said Eldrup- Jorgensen.
For more information, visit vqi.org.
