Drug Topics - June 16, 2008 - (Page HSE12)

12 HSE DRUG TOPICS JUNE 16, 2008 www.drugtopics.com > > > Technology This software system helps hospitals manage anticoagulation therapy Michael Barbella W hen Diane Wirth began overseeing Emo- out the software, it would be impossible for clinicians ry HealthCare’s anticoagulation clinic in to do medication reconciliation for each patient.” 2002, the staff there was using a paperSince implementing the CoagClinic program, Embased system to track patients. All that writing ory HealthCare’s anticoagulation clinics have grown was time-consuming and inefficient. Wirth, a nurse to encompass seven sites and treat 2,500 patients. practitioner who has been in charge of the hospital’s “The best part about any software tool when you are clinics for six years, quickly grew frustrated with the administering anticoagulation therapy is tracking system and began to search for patients and not letting them a new way to manage patients fall through the cracks,” Wirth and the volumes of data that noted. were generated. Patients no longer fall Ultimately, Wirth’s search through the cracks at Hoag led her to Standing Stone Inc., Hospital in Newport Beach, a Westport, Conn.-based comCalif., where Standing Stone’s pany that has developed comsoftware has helped the facilputer software that automates ity streamline its scheduling anticoagulation data. Dubbed process for the 1,275 patients CoagClinic, the software is Here’s a look at what CoagClinic offers. on anticoagulation therapy. used by more than 400 hospiSince implementing the softtals and clinics nationwide to better manage patients ware program in October 2005, the number of new and anticoagulation therapy. Standing Stone’s soft- anticoagulation cases at Hoag Hospital has tripled. ware is one of several on the market that helps hos“We don’t have to go to different sites anymore to pitals better manage anticoagulation therapy. Other get the information we need,” said Marilyn Chalberg, similar programs include CoagCare, developed by an R.N. for the hospital’s anticoagulation clinic. “We ZyCare Inc., of Chapel Hill, N.C., and DoseRe- can look at a schedule for an entire month.” sponse, developed by Keystone Therapeutics Inc. of Besides helping hospitals better manage their anPittsburgh. ticoagulation therapy programs, CoagClinic gives CoagClinic is “a tracking program,” said Lester healthcare institutions a way to meet a 2008 National Demaree, senior director of business development for Patient Safety Goal handed down by the Joint ComStanding Stone. “The software also has a whole host mission last summer. That goal requires hospitals of reports that can be created and these reports can be and/or clinics that provide anticoagulation therapy to generated for use as a patient handout or for follow-up “reduce the likelihood of harm associated with the use visits. A lot of these clinics are managing blood test of anticoagulation therapy.” results for thousands of patients, and these patients “Since requirement 3E applies to both outpatient have their blood tested 12 to 15 times a year.” and inpatient environments, compliance will require Emory HealthCare’s anticoagulation clinics have cooperation across many hospital departments,” said been using Standing Stone’s software to manage Mark W. Wurster, M.D., FACP, and clinical assistant blood test results for their patients for the past five professor of internal medicine at Ohio State Universiyears. Wirth said the software has helped keep the ty. “At OSU we have already determined that an elechospital’s anticoagulation therapy management sys- tronic clinical decision support system will be necestem from crumbling into chaos. sary to meet [the National Patient Safety Goal] within “Tracking patients and making sure they come the stated timeframe. CoagClinc software combines in for their INR is a lot of work. You need to have a integration of point-of-service testing with computergood tool in order to do that,” Wirth said. “We are ized decision support and seamless data transfer via supposed to print out a list of drugs and give it to the HL7 to and from existing hospital systems.” patient so he knows exactly what he is taking. With- THE AUTHOR is a writer based in New Jersey. http://www.drugtopics.com

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Drug Topics - June 16, 2008 Contents Latebreakers Letters Latebreakers in Depth Pharmacists Lose in Final ESRD Rule New Drug Helps Palliative Patients on Opioids Take Care of Business Oral Treatment Reduces Multiple Sclerosis Flare-ups Beware of Inflammatory Masses From Implantable Infusion Systems Safer Therapeutic Options Emerging for Atrial Fibrillation Congressional Committee Chair Calls for Action Against Hospital Infections This Software System Helps Hospitals Manage Anticoagulation Therapy Rx Care Community Practice JP at Large Self-Care Cover Story Long-Term Care Chains and Business Technology Technology Update Continuing Education New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - June 16, 2008

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