Impact of an automated, electronic medical record-integrated inferior vena cava filter tracking system on retrieval rates.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an automated, electronic medical record (EMR)-integrated inferior vena cava (IVC) filter tracking system on retrieval rates across a large United States health care system.

METHODS

A new, automated EMR-integrated IVC filter tracking system including individual filter plans, dwell time, and anticoagulation status was established across a United States health care system with 22 medical facilities. IVC filter utilization, rates of attempted retrieval, and mean dwell time were retrospectively analyzed between Januaray 2019 and January 2020.

RESULTS

During the study period, filter use was 8.7 per 100,000 members, with 382 IVC filters placed. In statistical comparison to our 2016 study, implementation of this EMR-integrated tracking system increased regional attempted filter retrieval rates by 23.2% (38.9% to 62.1%; P < .001, χ2) compared with a pretracking system of 427 patients with IVC filters deployed between December 2011 and January 2013. Compared with a web-based tracking system with physician education (347 IVC filters deployed from February 2013 to May 2014), implementation of this EMR-integrated tracking system increased regional attempted IVC filter retrieval rates by 8.1% (54% to 62.1%; P = .065, χ2). Both tracking systems were deployed within the same multifacility regional patient population. In further subanalysis of the EMR-integrated tracking system, among 335 retrievable devices placed, 209 were eligible for retrieval. Of 209 eligible retrieval filters, 169 had attempted retrieval (80.9%) with 165 successfully retrieved (78.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of an EMR-integrated IVC filter tracking system was associated with increased eligible IVC filter retrieval rates across a large United States health care region to 80.9%, comparable to published rates at single facility centers with dedicated tracking programs. Similar results can be expected in other institutions and health care organizations since this tracking program was created within a widely used EMR.