The SVS Patient Safety Organization has announced the winners of the 2016 VQI Participation Awards. This program, in its second year, recognizes the importance of active participation in the VQI as a critical component of the quality improvement mission. VQI centers may receive up to three “stars,” based on the extent of their participation in three areas: long-term follow-up (LTFU) reporting, regional quality group meetings and vascular procedure registries
The SVS PSO is very encouraged by the 2016 results. Of the 316 eligible centers, 42 received three stars; 71, two stars; and 89, one star. Both the number and percentage of centers earning three stars increased compared to last year.
Long-term follow-up reporting is one of the most important factors in the program. It demonstrates a commitment to monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of vascular treatment, assessing potential problems and providing optimal medical management. LTFU allows a more meaningful assessment of patient outcomes and quality than just perioperative outcomes and is a cornerstone of the VQI. The median reporting rate for LTFU increased from 57 percent in 2015 to 68 percent in 2016.
The second area, physician and staff attendance at regional quality group meetings, is critical to drive discussions of outcome variation and to encourage multicenter participation in outcomes analysis and quality improvement efforts. The third measure provides increased opportunities for learning and improvement.
To learn more about VQI, visit vsweb.org/VQI or contact Jim Wadzinski at jwadzinski@svspso.org.