NUR 01.1 - Coagulating Together: Launching the first Australasian Anticoagulation Stewardship Network

Saturday, June 22, 2024

14:30 – 14:45 ICT

Room: 211 A-D

Presenting Author(s)

Julianne Chong, BPharm, MClinPharm, FANZCAP (Anticoag., Steward)

VTE/Anticoagulation Stewardship and QUM Pharmacist
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Co-Author(s)

HB

Hadley Bortz

Senior Pharmacist – Anticoagulation Stewardship / HTH
Alfred Health
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
JN

Justin Neagle

Anticoagulation Stewardship Pharmacist
Northern Health
Melbounre, Victoria, Australia
AM

Alexander McNamara

VTE/Anticoagulation Stewardship and QUM Pharmacist
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NR

Nadishani Ratnayake

Anticoagulation Stewardship (ACS) Pharmacist (Lead)
Monash Health
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
CT

Chee Wee Tan

Staff Specialist Haematologist
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Huyen Tran, MBBS (Hons), MClinEpi, FRACP, FRCPA

Head of the Thrombosis & Hemostasis Unit and Director of the Hemophilia Treatment Centre
Ronald Sawyers Haemophilia Centre, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Vivien Chen

Staff Specialist Haematologist
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Background: Suboptimal use of anticoagulants leads to significant medication-related harm and increased health system costs. Anticoagulation Stewardship (ACS) programs deliver systematic oversight of anticoagulant use to improve patient outcomes by reducing preventable haemorrhage, thrombosis, and death. Despite demonstrable benefits, implementation is sporadic and not mandated in healthcare facilities. Global efforts have promoted greater uptake of ACS and increased practical information exchange between ACS sites. The formation of the Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand (THANZ) ACS Network has been a key step towards fostering an innovative community for collaboration among likeminded clinicians.

Aims: To describe the creation of the first network for ACS across Australia and New Zealand.

Methods: An ACS Network was established by THANZ in 2023. Goals of the Network include (1) discuss the development and implementation of jurisdictional ACS programs, (2) share knowledge and practical experiences, (3) prepare a standardised framework for activities and responsibilities of an ACS program, (4) disseminate information related to ACS to educate a broader audience, (5) collaborate with other members and/or forums to conduct research. The broad objective is to further advocate for establishing ACS as a required hospital national standard.

Results: As of December 2023, the THANZ ACS Network has reached 21 members across 17 locations. Increased harmonisation has been achieved through site-specific service description presentations (n=5), benchmarking survey to aid development of ACS framework, advocacy and partnerships with inter/national organisations (including the Anticoagulation Forum, USA), discussion of preeminent topics in the ACS space (including rollout of andexanet alfa in Australia), hosting an online World Thrombosis Day quiz (n=583), ACS-related conference presentations (n=3) and receipt of a Churchill Fellowship.

Conclusion(s): The THANZ ACS Network is the first of its kind across Australia and New Zealand and has established an active foundational platform for members to accelerate and improve ACS efforts.