EVALUATION OF A PHARMACIST-MANAGED ANTICOAGULATION CLINIC

Medical records were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the success of a pharmacist-managed Anticoagulation Surveillance Clinic (ASC). The 78 patients in group I were followed by the ASC. The 17 patients in Group II were followed by other Veterans Administration Medical Center clinics.
Demographic characteristics, warfarin indication and potentially complicating conditions were comparable between the groups. Group I patients had shorter intervals between visits to the clinic than Group II patients. Although not statistically different compared to Group II, Group I patients had better prothrombin time control. Group I patients also had fewer complications per treatment year (6.9% vs 9.0%) and received fewer potentially interacting drugs.
The ASC was at least as successful as the other clinics in managing patients on warfarin, and results compared very favorably to those reported in the literature for other anticoagulation clinics.