Community Digital INR Self-Testing Project
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Community Digital INR Self-Testing Project
IRAS ID
243419
Contact name
Mark Henry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cwm Taf University Health Board
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Of the 1.2 million patients in the UK on anticoagulation therapy, fewer than 2% self-test their International Normalised Ratio (INR) level (a standardised unit describing the length of time it takes for blood to clot). Given the mounting evidence that patients who do self-test are less likely to experience a thromboembolic event, self-testing should be more common.
The aim of this study is to develop and test an innovative model of care to improve access to patient self-testing. Not only should self-testing be more convenient for patients as they will need to attend INR Clinics less frequently, it should also maintain or improve the time their INR level is within a therapeutic range and increase local capacity to meet the demand for anticoagulation treatment.
Patients will undergo specific training to enable them to use a blood INR self-testing device with ease. The device will connect to their smartphone (iOS or Android) via Bluetooth, and via a downloadable app, will transmit the result of the test to their local GP surgery. Here, their healthcare professional will see the result and respond accordingly via the app with the dose of anticoagulant they need to take until they are due for their next test. So long as the patient has internet access, it will not matter where they self-test.
Data concerning the time a patient’s INR level is within therapeutic range will be collected over the course of the study and compared with the same data in the 12 months prior to the study. At the end of the study, the opinions about self-testing of both patients and healthcare professionals will be determined using focus groups and questionnaires, respectively.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EM/0207
Date of REC Opinion
22 Aug 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion