1. Improving warfarin anticoagulation therapy in a community health system.
- Author
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Pubentz MJ, Calcagno DE Jr, and Teeters JL
- Subjects
- Chicago, Feasibility Studies, Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over, Humans, Management Quality Circles, Medical Audit, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Outpatient Clinics, Hospital standards, Patient Compliance, Patient Education as Topic, Pharmacy Service, Hospital standards, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Anticoagulants therapeutic use, Outpatient Clinics, Hospital organization & administration, Pharmacy Service, Hospital organization & administration, Total Quality Management organization & administration, Warfarin therapeutic use
- Abstract
An internal chart review of warfarin patients revealed a 44 percent complication rate resulting in higher treatment costs, and identified patient noncompliance, access to monitoring, and insufficient patient education as contributing factors. A warfarin usage guideline was created to assist physicians with warfarin management and subsequently the Anticoagulation Center (ACC) was established. To date over 950 patients have been managed through the ACC with therapeutic international normalized ratios an average of 82 percent of the time. Fewer bleeds and treatment failures have occurred in the ACC group, and a patient satisfaction survey revealed that ACC patients were very satisfied with their care more often than non-ACC patients.
- Published
- 1998