As part of the ongoing efforts to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and better serve the community, Hamad Medical Corporation has launched  the region’s first drive-thru anticoagulation service at Al Wakra Hospital.

The service, which started earlier this month, is designed to protect the country’s most vulnerable residents from exposure to the coronavirus. Dr Sabah Adnan al-Qadhi, medical director of Al Wakra Hospital, said that people using blood clot prevention medications require ongoing medical care. Implementing a drive-up testing service, which allows patients to have their blood drawn without leaving their vehicle, is part of our ongoing efforts to keep vulnerable populations safe.

Many patients expressed concern about exposure to Covid-19, particularly when they were required to go into the hospital for their blood tests. Most of our patients are elderly and have co-morbid conditions and are at a higher risk of severe illness if they do contract Covid-19, so limiting their potential exposure to this virus is extremely important. Patients who require routine lab monitoring and medication dose adjustments can now get those services from their vehicle, rather than going into the hospital,” said Dr Sawali.

Patients are contacted a day in advance to confirm their appointment time. On the day of their appointment, a nurse wearing personal protective equipment will complete the necessary identification and medical screening processes before taking a sample of the patient’s blood, all from the window of their vehicle.

Dr Osama Abdelsamad, supervisor of the Anticoagulation Service for the Pharmacy Department at Al Wakra Hospital says in most cases follow-up care is completed over the telephone. “Once the test results are returned, the pharmacist calls the patient to gather all necessary information and to confirm there are no changes to the patient’s condition and medications. This ensures the patient isn’t taking any other medications or experiencing any health issues which could impact how they respond to warfarin.

Once the correct dosage is determined, a prescription is written and the patient receives their medication through our home delivery service,” said Dr Abdelsamad. The Anticoagulation Service at Al Wakra Hospital is run by clinical pharmacists working under the supervision of specialised physicians.

Source : Gulf Times

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