Evaluate a decision support tool for anticoagulant prescribing V. 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of the utility of a computerised decision support system for the management of oral anticoagulants.
IRAS ID
157385
Contact name
Stephen Chapman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Keele University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
Evaluation of the benefits of a prescribing decision support system for the management of anticoagulant in patients with irregular heart beat.
Various challenges can underlie the poor assessment and management of patients with irregular heart beat (atrial fibrillation (AF)). These caused by lack of clear and simple management guidelines, and lack of knowledge and /or adherence to up-to-date knowledge. In order to balance that, computerised decision support systems which provide the necessary knowledge transfer and simplification of this new knowledge into practice have been recognised to improve the efficiency of prescribing decisions and improve the healthcare quality.
A computerised decision support (CDS) tool for anticoagulants (blood thinning medicines) prescribing and patients’ consultations has been developed at Keele University.
This research aims to answer the following question: Does the CDS tool support and inform the prescribing decision and improve the quality of patients’ consultations within different healthcare settings?To answer the research question properly; a before-after design using interviews and questionnaires will be used. The protocol includes three stages as follow:
- Stage one (before) concerns exploring healthcare professionals’ experiences, barriers, and the challenges with oral anticoagulants prescribing and consultation.
- Stage two is the intervention stage. Healthcare professionals will be asked to use the tool for two to three months with patients
- Stage three (after) concerns exploring patients' and healthcare professionals' views about using the tool to support the prescribing of and consultation about oral anticoagulants. The study is expected to last for 2 years.A sample of patients, consultants, registrars, general practitioners, and non-medical independent prescribers (nurses and pharmacists)will be recruited to gain perspectives from primary and secondary care.
This research is a PhD project funded by the University of Jordan.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2053
Date of REC Opinion
18 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion