Implementation of An Ambulatory Pharmacist-Managed Anticoagulation Clinic In Qatar: Development of A New Service and A Pilot On Patients' Satisfaction and Quality of Life

Abstract

Objectives Pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinics have been shown to improve the quality of life (QoL) of patients receiving anti-clot treatment. The first pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinic in Qatar was established at Al-Wakrah Hospital in March 2013. This study aims to report the development of a new pharmacist-managed service and to determine the patients’ satisfaction with the new service and their overall QoL using a validated instrument called Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS).

Methods A new pharmacist-managed anticoagulation clinic was successfully develop through agreements with physicians on the scope of the service. A prospective cross-sectional study using 25-item DASS QoL instrument was conducted at the Anticoagulation Clinic of Al-Wakra Hospital. An Arabic-translated version of the tool that was conceptually equivalent to the original English version was developed through linguistic validation and cultural adaptation processes. Each item was assessed using a 7-item Likert-type scale with lower values indicating a better QoL and greater satisfaction. The primary outcome measures were QoL and satisfaction.

Results Of the 50 patients attending the anticoagulation clinic, 25 consented to participate in the study. The mean total QoL score of the population was 66±24 (range 34-118), indicating modest QoL. Male patients reported a better QoL than female patients (61.7 ± 19.5 vs. 73.3 ± 30.7; p=0.255). Furthermore, participants who were naïve to anticoagulation treatment showed better QoL compared to non-naïve participants (61.3±22.3 vs. 80.3±26.0; p=0.093). However, these differences did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions Patients receiving anticoagulation service managed by pharmacists in Qatar have expressed satisfaction with the service and a modest QoL that was comparable to what has been reported in the literature. Additional studies with larger samples are required to further document the value of the new service.