Latest News

Topics in this Dawn AC E-Newsletter 

• Don't Miss the User Group

• ISO 9001 :2000 Recertification

• Tomatoes 'can cut risk of DVT'

• Warfarin still successful for stroke prevention

• Pauline Retires

Don't Miss the User Group

You should have received your invitation to this years user group which is in a completely new location near the picturesque Lake Ullswater. If you have not received an invitation please drop me an e-mail. Do not miss out; we have some great talks lined up for this year’s User Group Meeting. Please send in your application form as soon as possible to get your “early bird” discount.

Provisional programme of speakers as follows:

“Anticoagulation in Iceland: before and after the DAWN”  Dr Pall Torfi Onundarson, Consultant Haematologist, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland

"Predicting Venous Thrombosis Recurrence using D-dimer" Dr Campbell Tait, Department of Haematology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow 

“Anticoagulation – the next 5 years” Dr Eric J Watts, Consultant Haematologist, Basildon & Thurrock Hospitals 

"Converting Dawn AC v6 to V7” Richard Creamer, Pharm D, Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, USA. 

"Convert from Coumacare to Dawn AC V7” Theresa Hodgkins, Pharm D, Director Anticoagulation Center, Desert Medical Group/Oasis IPA, Cathedral City, California, USA 

“Merging two Hospitals into Dawn AC V7” Jo Nightingale, Head Biomedical Scientist, Kent & Canterbury Hospital 

"GP Perspective" Dr P Ikeme - General Practitioner,  General Integrity Health Care Services, London 

 “Delivering Anticoagulation software with a little.” Dr Parker - General Practitioner, Marsh Medical Practice

"Reducing DNAs with DAWN-AC", John Seal - Biomedical Scientist, Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust, 

“How to assess the competence of your dosing staff” Dr V Clough - Consultant Haematologist, Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester   

“Benchmarking Performance – Raising The Bar”                                                                    Mr Nigel Humble - Haematology Manager, Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Please note that I am still looking for very short talks on practical tips and solutions that folks have used to help make their anticoagulation service better or on any related subject. Speakers are given a discount of £100 on the cost of the conference.

ISO 9001 :2000 Re-certification

We are pleased to announce that we have been recently re-certificated under the international quality accreditation system ISO 9001:2000 and Tickit. This means that all our procedures and work have audited by an external auditor to assure you of a quality product and service.

Tomatoes 'can cut risk of DVT'

Is warfarin under threat! EATING six tomatoes or drinking a quarter of a pint of their juice every day can prevent airline killer deep vein thrombosis, Scottish scientists have proved.

Experts from Aberdeen's Rowett Institute have confirmed a long-held theory that the fruit can prevent the blood clots that cause the potentially fatal condition.

More than 40 British passengers have died from DVT, caused by spending too long sitting down.

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=633&id=865842006 

Warfarin still successful for stroke prevention

Results of a randomized trial comparing anticoagulation therapy with a combination of two antiplatelet agents, aspirin and clopidogrel, shows that warfarin remains the superior choice for preventing vascular events such as stroke and systemic embolus in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Although Warfarin has proven highly effective in preventing stroke in patients with AF, it is a difficult drug for patients to maintain in a therapeutic range. Dr Connolly pointed out “its estimated that the average patient on anticoagulation is not in the therapeutic range more than about half the time… there’s a need for better-tolerated easier-to-use, effective antithrombotic agents…two antiplatelet drugs might provide that”`

However for those who were already on anticoagulant, the risk was much higher of major haemorrhage on clopidogrel and aspirin than if they were continued on anticoagulation.”

For more information see the Lancet. 2006; 367:1903-1912, 1877-1878

Pauline Retires

Many of you will know Pauline Quarmby, our Administration Coordinator. Pauline retires at the end of the month after 11 years with the company. She plans to do all the things she really wished she could have done and we hear she is planning to go back to college.

We all thank Pauline for her sterling efforts over the years, helping to establish and strengthen the company. I am sure you will all join with me to wish her a happy and long retirement.

Syd Stewart

 © 2006 4S Information Systems Ltd