Our mission is to provide safe, high-quality, effective management of patients who require oral anticoagulant therapy, in order to minimize the risks of anticoagulant therapy, and also to provide comprehensive and ongoing education to patients and their families. The Anticoagulation Service is managed by a team of nurse practitioners working in collaboration with the medical director, along with the patient's doctor.
Our team of specially-trained nurse practitioners coordinates and optimizes each patient's anticoagulant therapy by:
- Performing a comprehensive history and physical on the patient's first visit
- Assessing for appropriateness of referral and for any contraindications to anticoagulant therapy
- Assessing the patient's risk of bleeding and falls
- Providing extensive patient education, counseling, and resource material on anticoagulant therapy
- Close tracking and follow-up of patients
- Monitoring PT/INR obtained by laboratory blood draw or with a finger-stick blood test, which provides results within minutes. Prothrombin time [PT] indicates how quickly blood clots, and the international normalized ratio [INR] is the standard unit for the PT test result. INR values provide information on the effect of anticoagulation medication, and they are used to regulate its dosing.
- Providing Warfarin dose management and adjustment using evidence-based national guideline from the American College of Chest Physicians
- Facilitating ongoing communication with the patient's physician
The Stony Brook Difference
We provide the best possible care to patients who require anticoagulant therapy. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Rapid finger-stick INR values
- Dose adjustments made on site
- Comprehensive management of anticoagulation
- On-site education
- More time spent in therapeutic range
- Fewer adverse events
- Improved clinical outcomes
- Timely notification
- Improved patient satisfaction
- Proactive, focused and coordinated approach to managing anticoagulation
What's more, our office is conveniently located in Hauppauge with plenty of easy parking.
Point-of-Care Testing
We provide both point-of-care INR lab testing and telephone follow-up for patients who go to outside labs. The benefit of point-of-care testing is that it allows for evaluation of INR results within a few minutes via a simple finger stick and immediate dose adjustment as necessary. Point-of-care testing is encouraged because it eliminates the delay of treatment and because it results in fewer adverse outcomes. Thus, it offers improved patient satisfaction.
Patient Referral
The Anticoagulation Service accepts referrals for patients who require anticoagulant therapy. We facilitate coordinated care of anticoagulation, especially from hospital discharge.