Anticoagulation
Service (Coumadin Clinic)
FF Center for
Primary Care
2458 Hilborn Rd
Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 399-1000
VV Center for
Primary Care
421 Nut Tree
Vacaville, CA 95687
(707) 455-3000
The Anticoagulation
Safety Program helps patients on the anticoagulation medication Warfarin (brand name "Coumadin")
receive the maximum health benefits from their prescriptions.
Participants in the program, who are referred by
their physicians, meet at least every four weeks with a NorthBay
Healthcare clinical pharmacist. At this visit, the pharmacist conducts a
fingerstick blood test. Results of the test are then reviewed by the
pharmacist and patient so adjustments in the medication can be made
right away, lessening the possibility of complications and side effects.
Private appointments for the
Anticoagulation Safety Program can be made, with written physician
referral.
For more information, call the NorthBay
Healthcare Anticoagulation Safety Program at (707) 429-7721.
The following is a list of the common questions
asked by patients referred to the program, along with answers from
NorthBay Healthcare pharmacists and physicians.
Why are
patients referred to the Anticoagulation Safety Program?
Although Warfarin/Coumadin®
is a life-saving medication, adverse reactions to the drug can occur if
it is not managed closely. In fact, Warfarin/Coumadin®
is the medication that has been most likely to cause reactions
serious enough to result in an emergency room visit or a hospital
admission. Many medical studies have shown that programs like the
NorthBay Healthcare Anticoagulation Safety Program reduce harmful
reactions and hospital admissions.
Research clearly indicates that patients on
Warfarin/Coumadin® therapy receive
higher quality care when they participate in a coordinated program like
the one offered at the NorthBay hospitals. Doctors enroll their patients
in the Anticoagulation Safety Program because they believe their
patients receive more thorough monitoring and higher quality care than
with telephone follow-up of protimes alone.
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Why do I have
to make an appointment? Can’t I just drop by the lab at my
convenience?
Making an appointment to have your protime checked
is actually one of the most important aspects of the Anticoagulation
Safety Program. To ensure your safety, Warfarin/Coumadin®
therapy needs to be monitored at least every 4 weeks. By making
appointments for you to have your blood checked, you can be assured your
protimes are tested at the safest intervals possible.
To understand why making appointments is so
important for you, it may help you to know more about the medication you
are taking. Warfarin/Coumadin® is an
anticoagulant (blood thinner) that prevents blood clots from forming and
causing a stroke. Warfarin/Coumadin®
is what is called a "narrow therapeutic index" drug. This
means that the level of the medication in your body must be maintained
as close as possible to optimum levels. Too much Warfarin/Coumadin®
and you are at risk for a hemorrhage (massive internal bleeding); too
little and you are at risk for a stroke. Remembering to have your
protime checked on time, every time, can be difficult for many people.
Making an appointment also provides you with the
opportunity to consult with our pharmacists who are specialists in
Warfarin/Coumadin®
therapy. You can discuss changes in your Warfarin/Coumadin®
dosage with the pharmacist face to face and ask any questions or express
any concerns you might have. This ensures that there is no
misunderstanding of what your dosage is and how soon you need to return
for follow-up care. Appointments also eliminate the delay that used to
occur between the time your blood was drawn in the lab and the time your
doctor contacted you about the results. Getting the results right away
at your appointment minimizes the amount of time you are at increased
risk for having a stroke or hemorrhage if your results are out of the
therapeutic range. As if the safety benefits weren’t enough, coming in
for you appointment generally takes less time than it would take for you
to have your protimes checked at the often-busy laboratory.
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If I never
forget to come in for my lab work, do I still need to be part of the
Anticoagulation Safety Program?
Your doctor referred you to the Anticoagulation
Safety Program because he or she believes strongly that this is the
safest way for you to take Warfarin/Coumadin®.
Although you may have never forgotten to come in to the lab and have
your protime checked when your doctor recommends that you do, the risks
associated with forgetting – even one time – are great. Please
remember that if your dosage of Warfarin/Coumadin®
ever falls out of the therapeutic range, you are at risk of hemorrhage
or stroke.
Your doctor also believes that the pharmacy
consultation available to you through the Anticoagulation Safety Program
is valuable to your health. By referring you to the NorthBay Healthcare
Anticoagulation Safety Program, your doctor is making a commitment to
keeping you healthy and preventing any health problems from developing,
rather than just caring for you if you become ill.
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Why do I see a
pharmacist at my visits to the Anticoagulation Safety program instead of
my own doctor?
The pharmacist you will see has completed a
special training program to manage Warfarin/Coumadin®
therapy. Your doctor believes the pharmacist is a valuable member of the
health care team managing your drug therapy. A supervising physician,
usually a cardiologist, is available to the pharmacist during your visit
if a question or issue arises that is best managed by a physician. The
pharmacist will also be able to answer your questions about Warfarin/Coumadin®
and any other drugs you are taking and how they may interact. Your
personal physician will continue to manage your care, and the
Anticoagulation Safety Program staff will keep him or her up-to-date on
your condition.
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Comments by
Anticoagulation Safety Program Patients and Family
"I’m so glad NorthBay started this service
for my mother."
"This program makes so much sense to
me."
"It’s so nice to have a pharmacist
available that I can ask questions about my medications."
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