Abstract
We sought to improve patient outcomes and efficiency in our anticoagulation clinic through development of a new protocol for managing heart valve patients with subtherapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) tests. The new protocol standardized use of 1 anticoagulation agent while warfarin was retitrated, timelines for INR retesting, and target INR levels depending on the type of valve implanted. The new protocol provided significant improvements in patient care; however, outcomes for clinic operating efficiency were mixed.
MeSH terms
-
Adult
-
Aged
-
Ambulatory Care Facilities / organization & administration
-
Ambulatory Care Facilities / standards*
-
Anticoagulants / therapeutic use*
-
Clinical Protocols / standards*
-
Efficiency, Organizational
-
Female
-
Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / nursing*
-
Humans
-
International Normalized Ratio
-
Male
-
Middle Aged
-
Nursing Administration Research
-
Nursing Evaluation Research
-
Pilot Projects
-
Practice Patterns, Nurses' / organization & administration*
-
Quality Improvement / organization & administration*
-
Treatment Outcome
-
Warfarin / therapeutic use*