Yonghui Wang, Yan Wang, Xuemin Zhang, Wei Li, Weihao Li, Tao Zhang
In this 16-year electronic health record cohort, hospital-captured documentation of early anticoagulation increased, whereas documentation of 90-day follow-up processes remained infrequent; incomplete documentation or care delivered outside the hospital system may have contributed. These findings highlight opportunities to strengthen continuity and traceability of post-VTE management through timely clinical review and individualized decisions regarding treatment duration, safety monitoring, and selective imaging when clinically indicated.
BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have simplified treatment for venous thromboembolism (VTE), but fewer mandatory monitoring visits may reduce opportunities for structured reassessment. We evaluated temporal changes in hospital-captured documentation of post-VTE care processes during the transition to DOAC-based treatment, including initial anticoagulation, clinical follow-up, laboratory monitoring, and selective imaging reassessment.
METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective electronic health record cohort study using routinely collected vascular surgery outpatient and inpatient records from Peking University People's Hospital between 2009 and 2024. Patients with VTE-related evidence and a definable hospital-captured index date were included. Treatment eras were prespecified as 2009-2014, 2015-2019, and 2020-2024. The study-defined documentation measure comprised therapeutic anticoagulation within 14 days and clinical follow-up, laboratory monitoring, and selective VTE-related ultrasound or imaging reassessment within 15-90 days.
RESULTS: Among 5998 patients with a definable hospital-captured index VTE-related event, the median age was 64.0 years, and 55.3% were female. Documented anticoagulation within 14 days increased from 34.1% in 2009-2014 to 58.0% in 2020-2024. Within 15-90 days, clinical follow-up was documented in 1483 patients (24.7%), laboratory monitoring in 366 (6.1%), and VTE-related ultrasound or imaging reassessment in 578 (9.6%). All four prespecified domains were documented in 149 patients (2.5%) overall and in 3.2% during 2020-2024. In multivariable analysis, the 2020-2024 era, pulmonary embolism presentation, and upper-extremity or catheter-related VTE were associated with higher odds of four-domain documentation completion.
CONCLUSION: In this 16-year electronic health record cohort, hospital-captured documentation of early anticoagulation increased, whereas documentation of 90-day follow-up processes remained infrequent; incomplete documentation or care delivered outside the hospital system may have contributed. These findings highlight opportunities to strengthen continuity and traceability of post-VTE management through timely clinical review and individualized decisions regarding treatment duration, safety monitoring, and selective imaging when clinically indicated.