Abstract

After 39-year-old reporter David Bloom died of PE in 2003 while covering the Iraqi invasion, VTE gained national attention as media coverage highlighted the cause of this young man's death.2 Subsequently, The Joint Commission, partnering with the National Quality Forum in 2005, developed guidelines to decrease the incidence of VTE.3 In 2008, the United States Surgeon General called for further national initiatives to prevent VTE.