Guardians of the Vessels: Ensuring continuity of care from hospital to home

From Hospital to Home – Organizational Standards for Safe Vascular Access Continuity
Dr Elisa Deganello, Medical Dir. and VA teamcoordinator at ULSS 6, Euganea, Italy

Safe Vascular Access at Home – Practical Management, Dressing Change & Clinical Risk Reduction
Gema Muñoz‑Mozas, Lead Vascular Access Nurse – Royal Marsden, UK

Moderators:
Dr Fulvio Pinelli, IVAS President; Director, Vascular Access Center – Careggi, Italy
Dr Christian Dupont, Nurse Coordinator – Cochin Hospital; GIFAV Board, France

There is a growing and unmet need to establish consistent and structured protocols for vascular access management across both hospital and home‑care settings. Today, the quality and safety of care vary significantly depending on the country and region, as well as local regulations and the availability of trained professionals, leading to inconsistent practices in the transition from hospital to home thus creating inequality in outcomes and exposing patients to higher risks compared with hospital‑based management. The absence of clear, shared guidelines increases complications, while forcing patients to return frequently to the hospital, adding discomfort and reducing quality of life. At the same time, healthcare systems face staff shortages, uneven territorial expertise and insufficiently structured Vascular Access Teams, creating challenges in ensuring safe and continuous care pathways. This symposium will explore the need to harmonize practices and strengthen coordination between hospital-based and home‑care environments to support high‑quality, equitable vascular access management.