Anticoagulant stewardship: an opportunity for community pharmacy

Objectives This study explored how community pharmacies in the English National Health Service responded to a referral from one hospital in the south west of England for a discharge medicines service for patients on oral anticoagulants. Methods Analysis of PharmOutcomes™ for a 12-month period commencing 1 April 2023. The download was interrogated for relevant entries for patients discharged on apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, or warfarin. Key findings Approximately one-third of community pharmacies recorded entries on PharmOutcomes™ that point to their involvement in monitoring of appropriate prescribing and active counselling of patients about their anticoagulants at transition of care. Conclusions There is increased scope for community pharmacists to be involved more formally in anticoagulant stewardship activities.