patient being discharged on coumadin

[sassyann85]

When you are working with a patient who will be d/c home on coumadin, is there a coumadin clinic in your hospital you have them follow up with, or do you make them an appointment with their PCP? Also, when you give the prescription to the pt for coumadin (or send electronically to a retail pharmacy), do you have to give them a copy of their lab results to take to the pharmacy when they pick up their coumadin? Do retail pharmacies require this before dispensing the med? thanks!

[loriangel14, RN]

Our patients are responsible for making an appointment with their own PCP to have their INR done. The pharmacy does not require anything before dispensing the coumadin.

[OneDuckyRN]

We have what is known as the ATP clinic - Anticoagulant Transition Program. If a pt is being discharged with a new script for Coumadin, someone from the ATP clinic sees them before discharge and coordinates scripts with the doctor. The clinic follows the pt until the INR is stable within the therapeutic range, then the PCP takes over. What I think is pretty cool is they write everyone's scripts to be dispensed as 2mg tablets, that way dose changes are done easily without having to send the pt to the pharmacy before the next dose. There is also a pharmacist on call 24/7 for ATP pts.