Supporting the mission of World Thrombosis Day: How the ‘Get Out the Clot’ campaign is improving outcomes in blood clot care

Blood clots impact millions of people worldwide each year. Addressing this global health challenge requires not only awareness, but also collaboration among healthcare professionals, patient advocates, scientific organizations and industry partners committed to improving outcomes for patients.

The ISTH World Thrombosis Day (WTD) campaign collaborates with its partners to advance education, encourage earlier recognition of blood clot symptoms and promote best practices in patient care. One such collaboration is the “Get Out the Clot” campaign, an initiative spearheaded by Penumbra, Inc. that brings together experts to address ongoing gaps in venous thromboembolism (VTE) care.

What is the Get Out the Clot campaign?

The Get Out the Clot campaign supports many of the same goals that drive World Thrombosis Day.

Launched in 2024, the Get Out the Clot campaign brings together leaders in blood clot care to identify gaps in patient care, promote greater consistency in treatment approaches and raise awareness of innovations that may improve outcomes for patients with VTE, such as computer assisted vacuum thrombectomy (CAVT) and mechanical thrombectomy.

Founding members of Get Out the Clot include Penumbra, the ISTH, the National Blood Clot Alliance, The PERT Consortium, the Society for Vascular Medicine and the American Venous Forum.

The initiative seeks to unite expertise across specialties, recognizing that optimal VTE care often requires coordination among emergency medicine physicians, hematologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, vascular specialists, interventionalists and other healthcare professionals.

At its core, the campaign is focused on one central goal: closing gaps in VTE care so that patients receive timely, evidence-based treatment.

Survey findings reveal opportunities for improvement

One of the campaign’s most significant contributions has been a multi-disciplinary survey examining the current state of VTE care. Read more about the survey results here.

Conducted among 269 healthcare professionals who regularly treat patients with blood clots, the survey identified several areas where greater standardization and collaboration may be needed. Several of the key findings include:

• More than half of physicians surveyed reported that their institutions do not have a formal pulmonary embolism response team (PERT) or dedicated VTE response team.
• Only 35% of respondents indicated that treatment decisions are ultimately made through cross-specialty consensus.
• Just 56% of interventional physicians surveyed felt that existing pulmonary embolism protocols provide clear direction beyond standard medical management.
• Only 39% reported having clear guidance for deep vein thrombosis management beyond anticoagulation therapy.

These findings suggest that significant variability remains in how blood clot conditions are managed across institutions and specialties. By highlighting these gaps, the campaign aims to encourage ongoing dialogue and collaboration among healthcare professionals and healthcare systems.

Raising awareness beyond the clinical setting

The Get Out the Clot campaign emphasizes that coordinated care pathways can help reduce treatment variability and support more consistent decision-making. Greater collaboration among specialties may also help ensure that patients are evaluated promptly and have access to the most appropriate treatment options based on their individual circumstances.

While improving systems of care is a major focus, the campaign also recognizes the importance of public awareness. Many blood clot symptoms can be difficult to recognize, and delays in seeking care may contribute to worse outcomes. Educational resources developed through Get Out the Clot campaign aim to help patients better understand VTE, recognize potential warning signs and engage in informed conversations with their healthcare providers.

The campaign’s patient pledge, launched during Blood Clot Awareness Month, further encourages individuals to learn more about blood clots and share information within their communities. By empowering patients and caregivers with knowledge, the initiative supports broader efforts to reduce the impact of thrombosis through education and awareness.

To learn more about the Get Out the Clot campaign, including the survey findings and available resources, visit www.getouttheclot.com.