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The goal of this project was to reduce warfarin-related adverse drug events in both the inpatient and outpatient settings within the Novant Health system, which includes seven hospitals and their associated ambulatory care clinics. In 2001, Novant participated in a national collaboration among 13 health systems and hospitals, which involved data collection from patient charts, showing that there were 763 adverse drug events out of 3,078 records reviewed nationally within the collaborative—which translated to an adverse drug event in one of every four admissions. One of the most common preventable adverse drug events identified was related to warfarin therapy. Today, Novant has achieved a 38 percent reduction in adverse drug events related to warfarin administration for inpatients and a 51 percent reduction for outpatients.
Other results of this initiative:
- Established overall better anticoagulation management for patients. For inpatients, there has been a shift from the higher adverse drug events harm categories to the lower adverse drug events harm categories. For outpatients, high harm category rates for the organization's physician practices are significantly lower than those practices not employed by the organization.
- Helped overcome organizational culture and barriers through the involvement of senior leadership, who made themselves personally accountable for the performance outcomes of the project. Leadership participation was key to the success of the program.
- Developed real-time, alert-based interventions.
- Established better monitoring and education for patients.
About Novant Health
Novant Health's facilities, advanced medical treatments and procedures, as well as its highly qualified staff have distinguished Novant Health as a not-for-profit health care leader for 3.4 million residents in western North Carolina. With seven hospitals, two nursing homes and senior residential facilities, physician practices, outpatient surgery centers, rehabilitation and community health outreach programs, Novant provides excellence in health care.
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