Impact of COVID-19 on the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative Venous Procedure Registries (Varicose Vein and Inferior Vena Cava Filter).
clinical practice shift; Covid-19; physician survey; VQI venous registry
In response to the pandemic, an abrupt pivot of VQI physician members away from standard clinical practice to a restrictive phase of emergent and urgent vascular procedures occurred. The Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization queried both data managers and physicians in May 2020. Approximately three fourths (74%) of physicians adopted restrictive operating policies for urgent and emergent cases only, while one half proceeded with 'time sensitive' elective cases as urgent. Data manager case entry was negatively affected by both low case volumes and staffing due to re-assignment or furlough. Venous registry volumes were reduced five-fold in 1(st) Quarter of 2020 compared to a similar period in 2019. The consequences of delaying vascular procedures for ambulatory venous practice remain unknown with increased morbidity likely. Challenges to determine venous thromboembolism mortality impact exist given difficulty in verifying 'in home and extended care facility' deaths. Further ramifications of a pandemic shutdown will likely be amplified if postponement of elective vascular care extends beyond a short window of time. It will be important to monitor disease progression and case severity as a result of policy shifts adopted locally in response to pandemic surges.
Mahenthiran AK;Natarajan JP;Bertges DJ;Huffman KM;Eldrup-Jorgensen J;Lemmon GW
Journal Of Vascular Surgery. Venous And Lymphatic Disorders
2021
2021-01-19
journalArticle
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvsv.2021.01.002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/j.jvsv.2021.01.002</a>
Impact of COVID-19 on the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative Arterial Procedure Registry.
clinical practice shift; Covid-19; physician survey; VQI arterial registry
This manuscript describes the abrupt pivot of VQI physician members away from standard clinical practice to a restrictive phase of emergent and urgent vascular procedures in response to the pandemic. The Society for Vascular Surgery Patient Safety Organization queried both data managers and physicians in May 2020 to discern pandemic impact. Approximately three fourths (74%) of physicians adopted a restrictive operating policy for urgent and emergent cases only, yet one half considered 'time sensitive' elective cases as urgent. Data manager case entry was affected by both low case volume and staffing due to re-assignment or furlough. A seven-fold reduction in arterial VQI case volume entry was noted in 1(st) Quarter of 2020 when compared to same period in 2019. The downstream consequences of delaying vascular procedures for carotid, aortic, vascular access and chronic limb ischemia remain undetermined. Further ramifications of a pandemic shutdown will likely be amplified if resumption of elective vascular care extends beyond a short window of time.
Natarajan JP;Mahenthiran AK;Bertges DJ;Huffman KM;Eldrup-Jorgensen J;Lemmon GW
Journal Of Vascular Surgery
2021
2021-02-03
journalArticle
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvs.2020.12.087" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1016/j.jvs.2020.12.087</a>