eMeasure Title Venous Thromboembolism Patients Receiving Unfractionated Heparin with Dosages/Platelet Count Monitoring by Protocol or Nomogram
eMeasure Identifier
(Measure Authoring Tool)
109 eMeasure Version number 3
NQF Number GUID bcce43dd-08e3-46c3-bfdd-0b1b472690f0
Measurement Period January 1, 20xx through December 31, 20xx
Measure Steward Joint Commission
Measure Developer Joint Commission
Endorsed By None
Description
This measure assesses the number of patients diagnosed with confirmed VTE who received intravenous (IV) UFH therapy dosages AND had their platelet counts monitored using defined parameters such as a nomogram or protocol.
Copyright
Measure specifications are in the Public Domain.

LOINC(R) is a registered trademark of the Regenstrief Institute.

This material contains SNOMED Clinical Terms(R) (SNOMED CT(c)) copyright 2004-–2010 International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
These performance measures are not clinical guidelines and do not establish a standard of medical care, and have not been tested for all potential applications. The measures and specifications are provided without warranty.
Measure Scoring Proportion
Measure Type Process
Stratification
None
Risk Adjustment
None
Rate Aggregation
None
Rationale
Heparin is commonly involved in adverse drug events (Geerts et al., 2008). Sub-therapeutic and supratherapeutic levels can lead to thromboembolic or bleeding complications that may increase the patient’s length of stay. The use of weight-based nomograms has increased the likelihood that a therapeutic partial prothromboplastin time (aPTT) will be achieved within the first 24 to 48 hours of therapy. The risk of recurrent thromboembolism is reduced when a therapeutic level of heparin is reached quickly. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) management by weight-based aPTT adjusted protocols have demonstrated their ability through clinical trials to achieve a therapeutic aPTT more rapidly than with standard UFH dosing without increasing major bleeding (Rashke et al, 1993).

Heparin nomograms are superior compared to routine care in the timely achievement of therapeutic anticoagulation despite the trend toward patients having aPTTs above the target range (ahrq.gov/clinic/ptsafety/chap9.htm, retrieved October 6, 2011). Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) occurs more commonly in patients who receive UFH than in those who receive low molecular weight heparin (Martin et. al., 2005). HIT is defined as an unexplained fall in platelet count (specifically, a 50% fall in platelet count from baseline, even if the platelet count remains above 150 x 109/L) (Warkentin et. al., 2008). Platelet counts generally begin to fall 5-10 days after the initiation of heparin therapy. Prompt recognition of HIT is important so that heparin can be discontinued and the risk of venous and arterial thrombosis minimized. To detect HIT, platelet count monitoring is recommended for all patients treated with UFH (Warkentin et. al., 2008).
Clinical Recommendation Statement
NoneHeparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) may occur in patients who receive unfractionated heparin (UHF) for treatment of thromboembolism. Prompt recognition of HIT by evaluation of platelet counts can allow for detection of HIT, and the subsequent discontinuation of UFH.  Management of UFH by nomogram/protocol is recommended to decrease the time outside of the therapeutic range.
Improvement Notation
An increase in rate
Reference
Gandi TK, Shojania KG, Bates DW. Chapter 9. Protocols for High-Risk Drugs: Reducing Adverse Drugs Events Related to Anticoagulants. Retrieved from the World Wide Web at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/ptsafety/chap9.htm accessed on October 6, 2011.
Reference
Geerts WH, Bergquist D., Pineo,GF., Heit, J.A., Samama, CM., Lassen, MR., Colwell, CW. Prevention of venous thromboembolism: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition). CHEST. 2008:133; 381-453.
Reference
Guyatt, G.H., Akl, E.A., Crowther, M., Gutterman, D., Schunemann, H. Antithromboitic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th edition: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines. CHEST 2012; 141(2) (Supp):7S-47S.
Reference
Martel, N., Lee, J., and Wells, P.S. Risk for heparin induced thrombocytopenia with unfractionated and low-molecular-weight heparin thromboprophylaxis: a meta-analysis. Blood 2005 June; 106:2710-2715.
Reference
Raschke RA, Reilly BM, Guidry JR et al. The weight-based heparin dosing nomogram compared with ‘standard care’ nomogram. Ann Intern Med. 1993 Nov 1; 119(9):874-81.
Reference
Warkentin TE, Roberts RS, Hirsh J, et al. An improved definition of immune heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in postoperative orthopedic patients. Arch Intern Med 2003; 163:2518-24.
Definition
None
Guidance
The unit of measurement for this measure is an inpatient episode of care. Each distinct hospitalization should be reported, regardless of whether the same patient is admitted for inpatient care more than once during the measurement period. In addition, the eMeasure logic intends to represent events within or surrounding a single occurrence of an inpatient hospitalization.

Treatment adjustment by protocol and/or use of a clinical pathway must be specific to unfractionated heparin therapy. Heparin protocols and clinical pathways may include use of a nomogram.

The construct of Unfractionated Heparin (route: 'Intravenous route') intends to capture continually infused heparin rather than heparin flushes or pushes.
Transmission Format
None
Initial Patient Population
Patients age 18 and older discharged from hospital inpatient acute care with a diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE)and a length of stay less than or equal to 120 days.
Denominator
Patients with VTE confirmed through a diagnostic test and receiving IV UFH therapy
Denominator Exclusions
Patients with comfort measures documented
Patients discharged to another hospital
Patients who left against medical advice
Patients who expired
Patients discharged to home for hospice care
Patients discharged to a health care facility for hospice care
Numerator
Patients who have their IV UFH therapy dosages and platelet counts monitored according to defined parameters such as a nomogram or protocol.
Patients who are on UFH therapy for less than 24 hours and have their UFH therapy dosages monitored according to defined parameters such as a nomogram or protocol.
Numerator Exclusions
Not Applicable
Denominator Exceptions
None
Measure Population
Not Applicable
Measure Observations
Not Applicable
Supplemental Data Elements
For every patient evaluated by this measure also identify payer, race, ethnicity and sex.

Table of Contents


Population criteria

Data criteria (QDM Data Elements)

Reporting Stratification

Supplemental Data Elements




Measure Set
eMeasure Venous Thromboembolism (eVTE)