Category: Professional Posters

Purpose: Due to their high risk nature, the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) Pharmacy Department provide a medicines education service to all patients newly prescribed an oral anticoagulant (warfarin or a Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulant (DOAC)). As well as verbal education, a warfarin or DOAC booklet is provided. A MMUH DOAC booklet was introduced in August 2017. The aim of this study was to assess patient satisfaction with oral anticoagulant education provided by pharmacists and to obtain feedback on the new DOAC booklet.


Methods: The audit was conducted over a six week period between February and April 2018. All patients who were provided pharmacist education on an oral anticoagulant during this time frame were given a questionnaire for completion after education took place. The questionnaire contained questions on whether the patient found the information useful, the quantity of information discussed and which format of communication was most beneficial.


Results: 30 patients were involved in this study. 40% (n=11) of patients were prescribed warfarin, with the remaining 56% (n=17) prescribed a DOAC (apixaban n=12, rivaroxaban n=4, dabigatran n=1). All patients reported that the verbal and written information was useful. When asked which format of communication was most beneficial, the majority (n=16) of respondents answered both verbal and written communication. The majority (n=29) of patients reported that they understood the information discussed. All patients (n=16) who had read the DOAC booklet reported that it was helpful.


Conclusion: The results of this audit demonstrate patient satisfaction with the pharmacist education provided to patients commenced on oral anticoagulants at the MMUH. The results also suggest that patients support the use of written materials in addition to verbal education. Patients reported that they find the DOAC booklet helpful.