National RV Tour Educates the People of Richmond About the Importance of Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Risk Assessment

Chippenham Hospital Welcomes the Coalition to Prevent DVT’s
First-Ever Nationwide RV Tour: Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT

Richmond, VA, March 11, 2009 – As part of the sixth annual DVT Awareness Month, Chippenham Hospital is participating in the Coalition to Prevent DVT’s recently launched nationwide RV tour, Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT. The RV tour is traveling across the country visiting hospitals and local communities to encourage dialogue between healthcare professionals and patients about this serious yet preventable condition.  The Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT tour will be at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond on March 11 from 10 am to 2 pm. 

DVT is a national public health crisis(1), but many healthcare professionals and patients are unaware of the risks. DVT is a blood clot that forms inside a deep vein, most often in the lower leg. Once formed, a blood clot can break off and may cause severe complications, some even fatal. A DVT blood clot has the potential to move into the lungs and block circulation to this vital organ creating a life- threatening condition – pulmonary embolism, or PE – which requires immediate medical attention.

Up to 2 million Americans are affected each year by DVT. Approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from pulmonary embolism (PE)(2), the majority of which result from DVT(3). Complications from DVT kill more Americans than breast cancer and AIDS combined(4). Building awareness through activities like the Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT  tour is crucial to improving patient safety.

“We are proud to represent Richmond in driving conversations about DVT risk assessment with our patients,” said Dr. Martin Evans, Chair of CJW Medical Center’s Quality Council. “As a healthcare professional, you have the ability to make a difference. CJW Medical Center is committed to providing the highest level of care to our patients, which includes initiating discussions about risk as well as following evidence-based measures that can improve the quality and care of DVT and PE through better diagnosis.”

Since its inception more than six years ago, the Coalition to Prevent DVT has worked to establish DVT as a national health priority through grassroots campaigns and partnerships with public policy leaders. Coalition efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2005, the United States House of Representatives declared March as DVT Awareness Month. Earlier this year, Representative Capps (D-CA) and Representative McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA) introduced a resolution to declare March 10 National Screening Day. The Coalition has also worked closely with the Office of the Surgeon General on the Call to Action on DVT and PE to drive awareness to reduce the number of cases in the United States and to emphasize the need for the implementation of evidence-based practices.

Working to inspire action and greater awareness nationwide, the Coalition to Prevent DVT is following its mission to drive dialogue about the need for proper DVT risk assessment with the launch of the Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT tour. By bringing this national health issue to local communities such as Richmond, the Coalition hopes to highlight the burden of this condition and underscore the need for greater risk assessment and proper treatment as DVT-related PE is the most common cause of preventable hospital death in the United States(5).

“In the last five years, the Coalition has made great strides in raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of DVT on both a national and grassroots level,” said Melanie Bloom, National Patient Spokesperson for the Coalition to Prevent DVT, whose husband, NBC correspondent David Bloom, died from complications of DVT while covering the war in Iraq. “This year, it is time to harness that awareness and turn it into action by encouraging people to assess their risks of developing DVT.”

The Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT tour features interactive patient activities, including assessment kiosks that provide personalized information on risks. At the event, healthcare professionals and consumers will receive DVT awareness educational brochures and a DVT Awareness Month pin featuring the new Coalition logo and DVT icon and will have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Glenn Giessel, Medical Director of the CJW Medical Center eICU.

The Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT tour includes a recently launched public service announcement featuring Melanie Bloom as well as downloadable risk assessment tools, all of which are accessible at www.preventdvt.org.

For more information about the Coalition to Prevent DVT, please visit www.preventdvt.org.

About DVT and DVT Awareness Month
DVT is a blood clot that forms inside a deep vein, most often in the lower leg. Once formed, a blood clot can break off and may cause severe complications, some even fatal. A DVT blood clot has the potential to move into the lungs and block circulation to this vital organ creating a life- threatening condition – pulmonary embolism, or PE – which requires immediate medical attention. March is DVT Awareness Month which is championed by the Coalition to Prevent DVT to raise awareness of this serious medical condition among consumers, healthcare professionals and public health leaders. The Coalition comprises more than 60 members from medical societies, patient advocacy groups and other public health organizations.

About CJW Medical Center’s Chippenham Hospital.
CJW Medical Center has 758 beds on its two campuses. Chippenham, in the city of Richmond, offers a state-designated level III trauma center, The Levinson Heart Hospital and Tucker Pavilion; while Johnston-Willis, in Chesterfield County, offers the Thomas Johns Cancer Hospital and the Neuroscience & Gamma Knife Center. CJW Medical Center is a member of HCA Virginia Health System. For more information visit www.cjwmedical.com or www.HCAva.com.

About the Coalition to Prevent DVT
The mission of the Coalition to Prevent DVT is to reduce the immediate and long-term dangers of DVT and PE, which together make up one of the nation's leading causes of death. The Coalition will educate the public, healthcare professionals and policy-makers about risk factors, symptoms and signs associated
with DVT, as well as identify evidence-based measures to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality from DVT and PE. The Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis is funded by sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. For more information, visit www.preventdvt.org.

About Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT
To kick off the sixth national DVT Awareness Month, the Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is introducing a RV tour – Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT campaign.  By going “on the road” the Coalition will drive the importance of patient safety, increased DVT awareness and proper patient screening.  The RV tour will enhance the grassroots program – bringing greater DVT education, awareness and screening to local markets across the nation. Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT tour will travel coast-to-coast starting in March to draw national and local attention to this under-recognized yet preventable condition. The local market campaign stops include:  Washington, D.C., New York City, Bridgewater, NJ, Raleigh, NC, Richmond, VA, Atlanta GA, Orlando, FL, Dallas TX, San Antonio, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Sacramento, CA, Las Vegas, NV, Denver, CO, Kansas City, KS, Minneapolis, MN, Columbus, OH, Pittsburgh, PA. 

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1)  American Public Health Association. Presented at: Public Health Leadership Conference on Deep Vein Thrombosis; February 26, 2003: Washington, D.C. White Paper.
2)  Heit et al. Am Soc Hematol. Presented a: 47th Annual Meeting and Exposition, American Society of Hematology; December 2005; Atlanta GA, Poster [68].
3)  Murin et al. Thromb Haemost. Comparison of the Outcomes after Hospitalization for Deep Venous Thrombosis or Pulmonary Embolism. 2002; 88:407-14.
4)  Gerotziafas GT, Samama MM. Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism medical patients. CurrOpin PulmMed. 2004; 10:356-365.
5)  Geerts WH, Pineo GF, Heit JA, et al. Prevention of venous thromboembolism: The Seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy. Chest. 2004; 126(suppl): 338S-400S.

The Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis is funded by sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC
US.ENO.09.01.037

Media Contact:
JC Sadler
(804) 201-6543
JC.Sadler@HCAhealthcare.com