Documenting the value of a pharmacist-managed anticoagulation classroom

To evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacist-managed anticoagulation classroom using a patient questionnaire to assess the patients' knowledge and understanding of the use of warfarin. A pharmacist-managed anticoagulant therapy classroom was opened for outpatient referrals for two primary reasons: 1) Patients had not received adequate education and counseling regarding warfarin, and 2) Patients had thrombotest (TT) values outside the target range. A face-to-face interview was conducted using a 12-question pre-counseling questionnaire that had been prepared to evaluate the outpatients' knowledge of warfarin therapy. Correct answers were given "1" point and incorrect answers, "0" points, and the total score was calculated. To assess the counseling, we used TT values measured both before and after the classroom. Of 281 patients who attended the anticoagulation classroom, 110 patients met the selection criteria. Among patients on warfarin with a TT value out-side of the target range, the counseling increased understanding of such therapy, and decreased the rate of deviation from the target TT range. Thus, the number of patients with a TT value reaching the target range increased. The pharmacist-managed anticoagulation classroom improved the patients' knowledge and understanding necessary for warfarin therapy as well as achieving the target TT value.