One World, Many Voices: Equity in Venous Care

International Perspectives and Coverage Disparities

Opening talks shared lessons learned from international colleagues and reviewed how insurance coverage for pelvic venous disease lags behind coverage for comparable conditions such as varicocele, attributing this partly to inconsistent local coverage determinations. A cultural competence talk illustrated, through a patient case, how language, gender preference, and cultural background can delay care, and proposed a framework of provider attitude, knowledge, skills, and early education to address these barriers.

Registry Findings on Access, Race, and Population Burden

Registry-based studies showed rapid growth in advanced practice providers performing ablation with a shift toward non-thermal modalities, described progression of subclinical venous insufficiency in children over several years, and found race was not associated with recanalization though Black patients had a higher endothermal heat-induced thrombosis rate. A United Kingdom population study of 7.5 million people found substantial regional variation in venous disease management and increased mortality associated with venous leg ulceration.