Implementation of clinical decision support system for anticoagulant prescribing for patients with deep vein thrombosis

Background: Physicians adherence to recommendations for appropriate antithrombotic therapy of venous thromboembolism (VTE) can reduce the risk of recurrent VTE, pulmonary hypertension, bleeding and other adverse events. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are shown to increase physicians adherence to clinical guidelines. Aims: To assess effectivenes and safety of CDSS for anticoagulant prescribing for inhospital patients with VTE. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in a Moscow general hospital from 06.30.2017 to 06.23.2018 to compare physicians compliance with clinical guidelines for DVT anticoagulant therapy, the rate of drug errors and direct costs of anticoagulant therapy before and after CDSS implementation (55 patients in control group and 49 in experimental group). Results: The rate of anticoagulant prescribing for patients with DVT did not alter significantly after CDSS implementation (96% compared with 91% before CDSS), but physicians compliance with recommendations on anticoagulant dosage increased from 32.7% to 73.5% (p = 0.0003) with corresponding decrease in the rate of anticoagulant prescribing errors from 1.35 to 0.65 per 1 patient (p = 0.0005). The length of stay and hemorrhagic complication rate did not differ between control and experimental groups. LMWH replacement with new oral anticoagulants has reduced the cost of anticoagulant therapy for 1 patient from 11.800 rubles (IQR = 7000) to 5.430 rubles (IQR = 5700) (p 0.005). Conclusions: СDSS can increase physicians adherence to recommended anticoagulant therapy for patients with DVT: to prevent unreasonable under-/overdosing or prolongation of anticoagulant therapy. CDSS for DVT drug therapy can be economically feasible.