THE SOCIETY OF CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE JOINS FORCES IN A NEWLY FORMED COALITION FOCUSED ON DVT AND PULMONARY EMBOLISM AWARENESS
The Society of Critical Care Medicine believes in the “economies of scale” and “strength in numbers” of the Venous Disease Coalition
Lakewood, CO, September 18, 2007 – The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) announced today that they have joined the newly formed Venous Disease Coalition (VDC). The VDC is a collaborative network of professional and public nonprofit organizations sharing the mission and vision to increase public and health professional awareness of venous disease, including DVT, pulmonary embolism (known collectively as venous thromboembolism or “VTE”).
The VDC and its member organizations, including SCCM, will conduct its inaugural media briefing to discuss the dangers, risk factors, warning signs, and treatment options for VTE at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on September 18, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. Joining them and speaking at the event to help raise awareness about the need for more education and research to prevent and treat VTE will be, Susan Shurin, MD, Deputy Director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Congressman, Ed Perlmutter (D), Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, Massachusetts State Representative, Michael F. Rush (R), and Michael J. Hefron, DVT/PE Survivor.
Frederick P. Ognibene, M.D., FCCM, 2007 President of the Society of Critical Care Medicine states that the SCCM fully supports the mission of the coalition, which is to improve the survival rates and quality of life for individuals with or at risk for both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. “Both disorders affect patients in intensive care units (ICUs) as either presenting illnesses or as complications. The multiprofessional team of dedicated critical care providers/practitioners is able to recognize and to provide therapy for both illnesses as part of the spectrum of care in the ICU, and their goal is to improve the well being and outcomes of all patients with those illnesses.”
VTE is the 3rd most common vascular disease after heart disease and stroke. It is a potentially life-threatening, but treatable and largely preventable disorder that includes two related conditions:
1. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - Abnormal clotting of the blood in one or more veins, most commonly the veins of the leg; and
2. Pulmonary embolism (PE) - Occurs when a DVT breaks free from its original site in a vein and then travels through the heart and then into the lungs.
This important media event will unite vascular healthcare professionals from North America to launch the Coalition. The briefing will include some of the nation’s top physicians and nonprofit organizations dedicated to increasing public and health professional awareness of VTE.
The Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF) has taken the lead in creating this unique coalition in partnership of 19 major national public health organizations and professional vascular societies. In addition to VDF, participating organizations include the American Academy of Physician Assistants, American College of Cardiology, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Phlebology, American Society of Hematology, American Thrombosis Hemostasis Network, American Venous Forum, Anticoagulation Forum, Hemophilia & Thrombosis Research Society, National Alliance of Thrombosis and Thrombophilia , North American Thrombosis Forum, Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, Society of Critical Care Medicine , Society of Interventional Radiology, Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology , Society for Vascular Nursing , Society for Vascular Surgery and the Society of Vascular Ultrasound.
For more information, contact Amanda Mannina at +1 847 827-7095 or amannina@sccm.org or Tom Joseph at +1 847 827-7282 or tjoseph@sccm.org.
About the Society of Critical Care Medicine
The Society of Critical Care Medicine is the leading professional organization dedicated to ensuring excellence and consistency in the practice of critical care medicine. With 13,000 members worldwide, the Society is the only professional organization devoted exclusively to the advancement of multiprofessional intensive care through excellence in patient care, professional education, public education, research and advocacy. Members of the Society include intensivists, critical care nurses, critical care pharmacists, clinical pharmacologists, respiratory care practitioners and other professionals with an interest in critical care, including physician assistants, social workers and dietitians.
About the Venous Disease Coalition
The Venous Disease Coalition (VDC) is an alliance of leading health professional societies and patient advocacy groups that have united around a common goal: to improve the survival rates and quality of life for individuals with, or at risk for, venous disease. The VDC plans to develop a national campaign to educate the U.S. public and health care professionals about venous disease. For more information, call 888.VDF.4INFO (888.833.4463) or visit our Web site, www.VenousDiseaseCoalition.org
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