Inr tracking with face-to-face and phone app

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Clinical Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Warfarin therapy requires strict international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring due to its narrow therapeutic window.
• Maintaining INR within the target range is a significant clinical challenge in warfarin management.
• This study investigated the efficacy of remote telephone monitoring versus standard in-person follow-up for warfarin patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the international normalized ratio (INR) control in patients undergoing warfarin therapy managed via face-to-face consultations versus telephone-based applications.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of utilizing telephone applications for routine warfarin management.
• To evaluate medication adherence in both monitoring groups.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial design was employed.
• Twelve patients in a distant location were assigned to the telephone application group (experimental).
• Twelve nearby patients followed in an outpatient clinic served as the control group. Data were collected using a Patient Information Form and the Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale.

Main Results:

• No significant demographic or clinical differences were observed between the groups, except for age.
• Therapeutic INR ranges were achieved by 67% of patients in the outpatient clinic group and 72% in the telephone application group.
• Medication adherence was high and comparable in both groups, with no statistically significant difference.

Conclusions:

• Telephone-based monitoring is a viable method for managing warfarin therapy, yielding comparable INR control to face-to-face follow-up.
• The findings support the use of telephone applications as an effective tool for maintaining patients within their therapeutic INR range.
• Remote monitoring strategies can be successfully implemented without compromising medication adherence or therapeutic outcomes.