Objective: To describe and evaluate the impact, effectiveness, and safety of 2 models of outpatient deep venous thrombosis (DVT) management.
Study design: Observational health-records survey conducted in 2 community hospitals using a comparative design.
Methods: The model centered around the emergency department (ED) was studied from April 15, 1997, through December 31, 1999; the decentralized model was studied from July 15, 2002, through March 15, 2004. The effect of the decentralized model on processes of care was determined by comparing the percentages of patients who were managed by office-based primary care providers under the 2 models. Two-week clinical outcomes also were compared, including symptomatic pulmonary embolism, symptomatic progression of index DVT, new DVT, major bleeding, minor bleeding, and death.
Results: During the study periods, 187 and 254 outpatients were enrolled in the ED-centered model and the decentralized model, respectively. Under the ED-centered model, 17 (22.1%) of 77 patients who presented to the primary care providers' offices on weekdays before 1:30 PM (on-hours) were managed exclusively within the clinic setting. Under the decentralized model, 78 (91.8%) of 85 patients who presented on-hours were managed within the clinics--a difference of 69.7 absolute percentage points (95% confidence intervals, 58.7%, 80.7%; P < .001). The models had comparable 2-week clinical outcomes.
Conclusions: The decentralized model for outpatient DVT management allowed more primary care clinic patients to receive their initial care exclusively in the clinic setting. There was no significant difference between the models in short-term effectiveness of therapy and patient safety.