Quality Improvement through Utilization of TSOACs in an Anticoagulation Clinic

The Shout-It-Out Award (Conference Travel Award)

Blog Post by Arianna Laguna Bouvé’20

Attending the American Pharmacists Association Annual Convention in Seattle, WA allowed us the opportunity to share our findings on the effectiveness of transitioning anticoagulation management from warfarin to target-specific oral anticoagulants (TSOACs) in an ambulatory care setting.

Several pharmacists stopped by our poster, raising questions about the feasibility and long-term benefits of our intervention. One pharmacist explained that she is a major proponent of TSOACs for anticoagulation management, and sparked a discussion regarding the safety and efficacy of utilizing TSOACs in obese patients compared to warfarin. Interactions like these expanded our knowledge of TSOACs and provided us with an insight into other pharmacists’ perceptions of our intervention. In addition, many pharmacists encouraged us to counsel the patients we assessed on the option to transition to a TSOAC, which would take our intervention one step further.

Being surrounded by other research helped us understand the diversity of pharmacy. While our project focused on a clinical question, there was also an abundance of posters discussing academics, leadership, and other topics. In addition, the exposition had dozens of companies presenting their innovative initiatives or products such as a pill with electronic medication adherence monitoring and a mosquito itch-relief patch that contains no medication.

Finally, there were many fascinating speaker events held at the conference as well, such as the Annual Hepatitis C Update, a talk focused on effective strategies for managing contraceptive therapy, and a seminar focusing on risk mitigation strategies for benzodiazepines and gabapentin. It was compelling to see pharmacists discuss their active involvement in shaping the current medical field. As a result, the entire experience broadened our perspectives beyond the traditional fields of pharmacy, allowing us to explore the several pathways we can take to advance pharmacy practice.