EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2: Conclusions and Key Recommendations Case for Change
1. Targeted policies
2. Greater awareness
Appropriate anticoagulation therapy for every AF patient at increased risk of stroke • Patient organisations and professional societies should work with health professionals to develop educational tools and resources that may help physicians implement guidelines in practice, in terms of assessing all AF patients for their risk of stroke and offering all patients except those at very low risk of stroke the most effective OAC therapy. Tools targeting primary care physicians are particularly needed. • Health care system leaders should develop local quality improvement frameworks and centralised standards of care to be implemented at a local level, and particularly in primary care, to reduce heterogeneity in the provision of OAC therapy to AF patients and ensure that best practice becomes embedded into local practice.
3. Improved detection
4. OAC therapy
5. Patient centred care
Patient-centred care and clear information to patients • All health professionals should foster a patient-centred approach to care, encourage greater patient engagement and patient education.
A whole-system approach to the prevention of AF-related stroke • Health professionals should work together and learn from other chronic diseases to identify successful models of multidisciplinary, integrated care that may help break down professional silos.
ROUTE MAP FOR CHANGE
6. Whole system approach
REFERENCES
7. Better data
EUROPEAN ATLAS
CASE STUDIES
68
Better data to guide policy and clinical management • Governments, research institutes and professional societies should invest in the systematic collection of epidemiological, economic and administrative data on AF and AFrelated stroke. This will ensure that policymakers are equipped with the most reliable and up-to-date data possible to guide policies and target resources appropriately.