eMeasure Title Anticoagulation Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter
eMeasure Identifier
(Measure Authoring Tool)
71 eMeasure Version number 4
NQF Number 0436 GUID 03876d69-085b-415c-ae9d-9924171040c2
Measurement Period January 1, 20xx through December 31, 20xx
Measure Steward The Joint Commission
Measure Developer The Joint Commission
Endorsed By National Quality Forum
Description
Ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter who are prescribed anticoagulation therapy at hospital discharge.
Copyright
Measure specifications are in the Public Domain.

LOINC(R) is a registered trademark of the Regenstrief Institute.

This material contains SNOMED Clinical Terms(R) (SNOMED CT(c)) copyright 2004–2010 International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
These performance measures are not clinical guidelines and do not establish a standard of medical care, and have not been tested for all potential applications. The measures and specifications are provided without warranty.
Measure Scoring Proportion
Measure Type Process
Stratification
None
Risk Adjustment
None
Rate Aggregation
None
Rationale
Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is a common arrhythmia and an important risk factor for stroke. It is one of several conditions and lifestyle factors that have been identified as risk factors for stroke. It has been estimated that over 2 million adults in the United States have NVAF. While the median age of patients with atrial fibrillation is 75 years, the incidence increases with advancing age. For example, The Framingham Heart Study noted a dramatic increase in stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation with advancing age, from 1.5% for those 50 to 59 years of age to 23.5% for those 80 to 89 years of age. Furthermore, a prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) are among a limited number of predictors of high stroke risk within the population of patients with atrial fibrillation. Therefore, much emphasis has been placed on identifying methods for preventing recurrent ischemic stroke as well as preventing first stroke. Prevention strategies focus on the modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, and atrial fibrillation. Analysis of five placebo-controlled clinical trials investigating the efficacy of warfarin in the primary prevention of thromboembolic stroke, found the relative risk of thromboembolic stroke was reduced by 68% for atrial fibrillation patients treated with warfarin. The administration of anticoagulation therapy, unless there are contraindications, is an established effective strategy in preventing recurrent stroke in high stroke risk-atrial fibrillation patients with TIA or prior stroke.
Clinical Recommendation Statement
The administration of anticoagulation therapy, unless there are contraindications, is an established effective strategy in preventing recurrent stroke in high stroke risk atrial fibrillation patients with TIA or prior stroke.
Improvement Notation
An increase in rate
Reference
Furie, K. L., S. E. Kasner, R. J. Adams, G. W. Albers, R. L. Bush, S. C. Fagan, J. L. Halperin, et al. "Guidelines for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients with Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association." [In eng]. Stroke 42, no. 1 (Jan 2011): 227-76.
Reference
Goldstein, L. B., R. Adams, M. J. Alberts, L. J. Appel, L. M. Brass, C. D. Bushnell, A. Culebras, et al. "Primary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Council: Cosponsored by the Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease Interdisciplinary Working Group; Cardiovascular Nursing Council; Clinical Cardiology Council; Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Council; and the Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Working Group: The American Academy of Neurology Affirms the Value of This Guideline." [In eng]. Stroke 37, no. 6 (Jun 2006): 1583-633.
Reference
Jauch, E. C., J. L. Saver, H. P. Adams, Jr., A. Bruno, J. J. Connors, B. M. Demaerschalk, P. Khatri, et al. "Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association." [In Eng]. Stroke  (Jan 31 2013).
Reference
Saxena, R., and P. J. Koudstaal. "Anticoagulants for Preventing Stroke in Patients with Nonrheumatic Atrial Fibrillation and a History of Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (Review)." Cochrane Database Syst Rev, no. 4 (2011): CD000185.
Reference
Wann, L. S., A. B. Curtis, K. A. Ellenbogen, N. A. Estes, 3rd, M. D. Ezekowitz, W. M. Jackman, C. T. January, et al. "2011 Accf/Aha/Hrs Focused Update on the Management of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (Update on Dabigatran): A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines." [In eng]. J Am Coll Cardiol 57, no. 11 (Mar 15 2011): 1330-7.
Definition
None
Guidance
The unit of measurement for this measure is an inpatient episode of care. Each distinct hospitalization should be reported, regardless of whether the same patient is admitted for inpatient care more than once during the measurement period. In addition, the eMeasure logic intends to represent events within or surrounding a single occurrence of an inpatient hospitalization.

The “Non-elective Inpatient Encounter” value set intends to capture all non-scheduled hospitalizations. This value set is a subset of the “Inpatient encounter” value set, excluding concepts that specifically refer to elective hospital admissions. Non-elective admissions include emergency, urgent and unplanned admissions, including patients admitted for observation.
Transmission Format
None
Initial Patient Population
Patients age 18 and older discharged from inpatient care (non-elective admissions) with a principal diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke and a length of stay less than or equal to 120 days.
Denominator
Patients with a principal diagnosis of ischemic stroke and current or history of atrial fibrillation/flutter.
Denominator Exclusions
Patients with comfort measures documented.
Patients admitted for elective carotid intervention. This exclusion is implicitly modeled by only including non-elective hospitalizations.
Patients discharged to another hospital.
Patients who left against medical advice.
Patients who expired.
Patients discharged to home for hospice care.
Patients discharged to a health care facility for hospice care.
Numerator
Patients prescribed anticoagulation therapy at hospital discharge.
Numerator Exclusions
Not Applicable
Denominator Exceptions
Patients with a documented reason for not prescribing anticoagulation therapy
Measure Population
Not Applicable
Measure Observations
Not Applicable
Supplemental Data Elements
For every patient evaluated by this measure also identify payer, race, ethnicity and sex.

Table of Contents


Population criteria

Data criteria (QDM Data Elements)

Reporting Stratification

Supplemental Data Elements




Measure Set
eMeasure Stroke (eSTK)