Warfarin Management
Let us take the hassle out of Warfarin dosing for you. We provide exceptional testing services and support referring doctors with the monitoring and management of patients undergoing Warfarin therapy.
Christmas and New Year 2023-2024
Commencing 5pm Friday the 15th December 2023, QML Pathology wishes to advise that over the Christmas and New Year period, the Warfarin Care Clinic will not be accepting any NEW REGISTRATIONS.
This service will re-open from 9am Tuesday the 2nd January 2024.
Patients who are currently monitored by QML Pathology and are being discharged from hospital will still be accepted during this time.
However patients discharged from hospital who are prescribed clexane (LMWH) must remain under the care of the hospital, or be referred to their doctor until LMWH is ceased and INR returns to therapeutic range.
The Warfarin Clinic would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and festive season
Introducing the QML Pathology Warfarin Care Clinic.
QML Pathology have offered the Warfarin service for over 40 years as part of our commitment to support you and your patients.
Our services include:
- Contacting the patient regarding their dose in a timely manner
- Following up abnormal results with the patient and the doctor
- Reminders should patients be overdue for a blood test
- Educational and informational material for the patient to assist with their warfarin therapy
- Liaising with hospital* (post-discharge), nursing home and pharmacy staff in warfarin management.
*When made aware of patient hospital admissions.
The Warfarin Care Clinic Charter
The Warfarin Care Clinic Charter outlines the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.
Service Fees
To ensure we can continue to deliver this much-needed service and allow us to offer your Warfarin patients comprehensive support and peace of mind, there is a registration fee* to join the service and an annual fee* for enrolled patients.
The annual fee will apply each November. Patients who are registered during the months of July to October may be exempt from the annual fee for November of the same calendar year.
Nursing Home residents are exempt from both fees.
Holders of a valid DVA card will not receive an account. QML Pathology will bill the DVA directly for eligible DVA cardholders.
Concessional patients include: Anyone over the age of 65, or under the age of 18yrs.
Anyone who holds a Pension / Health Care / Commonwealth Seniors / DVA Card Please ensure your patient is advised of these fees by having them sign the Informed Financial Consent form and returning this document with the registration request.
*Dependent on Medicare Rebate and/or subject to change without notice.
The fee covers
- One of our specialist pathologists monitoring the patient’s Warfarin levels
- Access to our Warfarin Care team who are trained to deal with Warfarin dosing
- Access, where appropriate, to Vitamin K at no further cost if required for INR reversal
- A patient contact process for urgent changes to Warfarin doses
- A patient contact process for overdue tests for Warfarin patients
- Access to our Warfarin Support Group via phone and email
Registering your patient
The Warfarin Care Clinic registration service operates Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 4.00pm.
Please note: Requests cannot be processed until all information is clarified. Please submit typed requests where possible, missing or illegible information will delay the registration process.
Responsibility for Warfarin dosing remains with the treating LMO until a warfarin registration is accepted by QML Pathology.
Registration Approval
Once approved you will receive a QML Pathology Reference number
- Contact the patient to advise them of their first test date
- Supply the patient with a signed INR request form – marked Rule 3 exemption; include on the form:
- the QML Pathology Reference number
- and request one-off FBC & E/LFT’s if no test with QML in the previous 2 months
- If the registering doctor is NOT the primary care doctor then exclude the words Rule 3 and write the primary care doctor as a copy doctor.
- Supply the patient with a second request form to take to their primary care doctor and have signed before their second test. Pre-write the second form: write the name of the primary care doctor into the requesting doctor section, in tests requested write “INR”, ”Rule 3 exemption”, and the “QML Pathology Reference number"
Re-enrol a patient after discharge from hospital
When a patient is admitted into hospital this service is temporarily discontinued and must be reactivated.
To assist in maintaining a safe INR, the dosing Haematologist requires the discharging hospital to supply the Warfarin Care Clinic with an updated health and medication history including recent Warfarin doses and INR results. The medico-legal consequences of blind dosing are an issue that can involve the laboratory and the referring physician.
To re-enrol a patient please complete the Post Discharge Information Update Form.
Alternatively you can contact the Warfarin Care Clinic directly on 1300 795 355 (Monday – Friday, 9.00am – 4.00pm).
Patient ceasing Warfarin control
Contact Details
Clinical staff can contact the Warfarin Care Clinic in the following ways.
Please refer to our Patient Page for patient Warfarin Care Clinic contact information.
Fax
- (07) 3121 4335
