IMPACT-AF – Integrated Management Program Advancing Community Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Improving care and outcomes for people with Atrial Fibrillation in Nova Scotia

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a type of irregular and sometimes rapid heartbeat. People who have AF are at an increased risk of having a stroke or heart disease.

Canadian guidelines are available to help doctors care for patients with AF, but not all patients receive the same care. Past research studies show that some doctors and patients could benefit from better knowledge and improved skills for managing AF. We believe that IMPACT-AF can help.

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107

Primary Care Clinics

1204

Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

204

Primary Care Providers

Web-based health management

In an effort to meet the needs of health professionals and persons living with atrial fibrillation (AF), leading-edge health informatics technologies have been employed to computerize the Canadian AF guidelines and best practice approaches.

The result is a Computerized Decision Support System (CDSS) – a web-based application designed to support the management of AF in the primary care setting.

IMPACT-AF Study

A 12-month clinical trial designed to determine if the CDSS is effective in supporting the treatment and management of AF

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Cluster randomized

Half of the healthcare providers (and their patients) have access to web-based tools which offer individualized patient care recommendations. The other half continue with usual care.

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Primary outcomes

The primary outcome is a composite of unplanned cardiovascular-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
The primary safety outcome is bleeding.

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Secondary Outcomes

In addition to looking at AF management practices and process of care, the study will also examine the current social and economic costs of AF management on the health care system and individuals living with AF.

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It is anticipated that the study will show that the web-based tool is beneficial for both physicians and patients.

Results will be available Fall 2018.

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Investigator Team

The IMPACT-AF Research Team is led by Dr. Jafna Cox, Heart and Stroke Foundation Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Outcomes, Professor at Dalhousie University, and Staff Cardiologys for the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

Co-investigators specializing in AF research, Health Informatics, Biostatistics, Health Economics and Family Medicine come from NSHA as well as Dalhousie and McMaster Universities.