Telemedicine-based medical care compared to in-person medical care for warfarin follow-up: A retrospective propensity score matching cohort study

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Telemedicine is underutilized in Saudi Arabia, which is a matter of concern, especially since previous literature has showed its equivalence with office visits in providing access to care and convenience for patients while reducing anticoagulation-related bleeding events when appropriate measures are followed. The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficacy of telehealth-based care compared to in-person visit care for warfarin follow-up. Methods The authors conducted a retrospective chart review comparing the mean percentage of time in the therapeutic range (TTR) of international normalized ratio (INR) values among patients prescribed warfarin from July 2019 to November 2020 at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center – Jeddah Branch whose anticoagulant therapy was managed via telemedicine or through in-person clinic visits. A subcohort analysis of outcomes in the telemedicine and in-person groups was performed using propensity score matching, and descriptive analysis was done for the entire cohort. Results A total of 350 patient records were included in this retrospective study. Matched analysis for 148 patients using propensity score matching showed that the mean (SD) percentages of TTR were 62.82% (19.46%) and 70.61% (19.83%) in the telemedicine and in-person groups, respectively (P = 0.017). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of major or minor bleeding events, thromboembolic events, and hospital readmission between the two groups. Conclusion The study results showed that patients on oral anticoagulation therapy managed through a telemedicine method had a lower overall TTR percentage than a matched group of patients managed through in-person anticoagulant clinic visits, thus demonstrating that using a telemedicine approach alone for warfarin follow-up may not help patients to maintain their INR target level.