CaraVein: KontraCLOTastrophe
The pandemic has put a spotlight on thrombosis. Now everyone knows that VTE is a dangerous complication of not just COVID but being hospitalized. And there was no best time to launch nationwide advocacy on VTE prevention than last 2021. Under the lead of Dr. Joy Rivera and Dr. Elaine Alajar with the help and cooperation of Pfizer, the CaraVein Campaign was launched via a nationwide online lecture and discussion via Webex live stream last August 26, 2021. The aim of the campaign is to help doctors of all specialties become aware of VTE, how to prevent it and how to diagnose and manage it through the Virtual Caravan. There are useful example of cases from different specialties can learn from including family medicine, internal medicine, OBGyne, surgery, orthopedic surgery and so much more.
The launch kick-off started with the lectures of Drs. Angela Apostol-Alday, Ramayana Diaz, Fred Allen Fuentes and Neil Wayne Salces. Then Palawan also had a lecture last November 19, 2021 delivered by Dr. Gilbert Lance Paa and Dr Ivan Paul Valdez. Next stop was Cebu November 20, 2021, wherein Dr. Ma. Barbra Destajo and Dr. Neil Wayne Salces along with moderator Dr. Ciara Lasaca tackled the topic of VTE prevention among surgical and orthopedic patients. November 23, 2021, creating virtual traffic in NCR East were Drs Micheal Anthony Dela Cruz and Rodrigo Santos moderated by Dr Jeff Mendoza. By November 26, its back again in Palawan with Dr Elaine Alajar and OBGYN Dr Karen Acosta with moderator Dr Joseph Torres discussing VTE prevention among obstetric and gynecologic patients. Finally, North Luzon had their CaraVein last November 30, 2021, on prevention of VTE among acutely ill, critically ill hospitalized medical and covid patients.
2022 has been fully packed with CaraVein as it moves from Bacolod and Baguio from January, to Zamboonga and Davao-GenSan- Bukidnon and Central Luzon by February. February 23, 2022, nationwide caravein on Cancer associated VTE was tackled by Med Oncologist Dr Dennis Sacdalan, Hematologist Dr Pia Angela Rocero, and PSVM president Jonathan James Bernardo moderated by Dr Alex Junia. May included Caravein in Cebu, Bohol, Dumaguete and NCR North.
Finally, August Caravein included Central Luzon and NCR East, back to Bicol by September which included the topic of VTE and APAS.
With the restrictions of the pandemic, the campaign against VTE continued virtually with unprecedented success reaching many doctors around the country. At the helm of this multidisciplinary endeavor is PSVM advocacy group. Close to three thousand doctors and attendees have learned from and participated in this campaign which we hope will translate to more VTE prevented and more VTE recognize and managed correctly. Aptly, “we circulate to educate and we educate to circulate”.