Establishing Global Consensus on Vascular Access Surveillance Definitions Through a Modified Delphi Process

Vascular access devices (VADs) are essential in modern healthcare but are associated with significant risks, including bloodstream infections, thrombosis, and device failure. Despite their widespread use, definitions used in publications and guidelines for vascular access vary globally, limiting data comparability, benchmarking, and quality improvement efforts. A unified, consensus-based nomenclature is needed to support international surveillance, research, and clinical practice.

The primary objective of this study is to develop a globally accepted set of vascular access surveillance definitions. This will be achieved using a two-phase research process:

1. Phase 1 – Systematic review of existing literature, guidelines, and registries to identify current definitions and terminology used for vascular access complications, highlight inconsistencies and gaps, and inform the Delphi survey instrument.

2. Phase 2 – Establish consensus on vascular access definitions. Round 1 will involve the development and distribution of an electronic survey to global experts with list of terms and definitions identified in phase 1 of the project. Round 2 will involve a virtual consensus panel to feedback on outcomes from round 1 in order to finalize definitions and nomenclature.