Salem Hospital Receives Grant to Prevent Life-Threatening Bloods Clots

Salem Hospital 2010

(SALEM, Oregon) - Salem Hospital has been awarded $40,000 through the PacificSource Community Health Excellence Initiative program to fund a project aimed at decreasing mortality and complications for patients who are at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE).

VTE is a disease which is a disease that includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in deep veins. If not treated, a part of the clot (embolus) can travel to the lungs and cause a life-threatening complication called pulmonary embolism (PE). Nationally, VTE is the most preventable cause of death in hospitalized patients.

Grant funding will provide salary support for a VTE coordinator at Salem Hospital. The coordinator will focus on performance improvement activities aimed at improving patient outcomes, promote community education and awareness and help the community identify gaps in resources for patients at risk for VTE.

PacificSource is an independent, not-for-profit community health plan that values partnership, service excellence, community, and personal relationships. The Community Health Excellence Initiative program, which was launched in early 2009, allows PacificSource to support initiatives that are independently evaluated as having a significant impact for improving patient care.

News Release from: Salem Health