2008 NPS Goals Include Warfarin Patient Management
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
PTINR.com Staff
The JCAHO has selected the improvement of warfarin patient management as one of their markers for quality healthcare in 2008
As companies race to replace warfarin (Coumadin ®) as the gold standard of anticoagulation, the JCAHO and NCQA have slated anticoagulants as one of their 2008 National Patient Safety Goal targets. Additionally the Institute for Healthcare Improvement has called for the improvement in the use of anticoagulant drugs (like warfarin) in their 5 Million Lives Campaign.
The 5 Million Lives Campaign is a 24-month program to dramatically improve the institutional care of for the potential of 5 million incidents leading up to the program’s completion in December 2008. Improvement in the use and care of patients on warfarin falls under their Chronic Care Model.
Following the success of the 1990’s HEDIS project to increase the utilization of warfarin for patients with atrial fibrillation – the next 18-months will focus on improving the outcomes of patients on warfarin. Time in range, decreased hospitalization and increased survival of patients on warfarin are metrics used in the Lancet’s February 2006 meta-analysis and likely to shape the JCAHO/NCQA and Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s projects.
Warfarin patient self testing will be looked at as a positive move by healthcare professionals as a means of increasing the quality of care for patients. Increasing the testing frequency is also an easily identifiable marker of improved care and supported by the FDA’s black box label issued last October.