Last year, a large-scale study of the American College of Chest Physicians concluded that only one-third of US hospital inpatients at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) received the recommended care.

Roughly 300,000 Americans die of VTE each year. When blood clots develop in a person’s leg veins, they can travel to the heart or to the lungs. Damage to those organs can occur, ultimately leading to death. In the majority of cases VTE is preventable and successfully treated—if diagnosed early. The disorder has garnered extra media attention recently, due to the untimely death of reporter David Bloom and a clot suffered by actor Kevin Costner

National Deep Venous Awareness Month: Englewood Hospital Takes Aggressive Measures, Raising Awareness and Advancing Preventative Care