ABSTRACT
Most anticoagulation services function in the setting of outpatient programs. At the Brigham and Women's Hospital Cardiac Center, the role of the anticoagulation service has been expanded to cover both inpatients as well as outpatients. Daily clinical anticoagulation rounds provide reinforcement of appropriate dosing guidelines for warfarin, low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH), and other anticoagulants. The Anticoagulation Service serves as an educational resource as well as facilitating anticoagulation monitoring. A centralized anticoagulation service undertakes various levels of anticoagulation management, resulting in decreased hospital length of stay and improved patient outcomes. This model of care promotes a seamless transition for patients from the hospital to home.
