Summary: The management of anticoagulant therapy is complex, particularly around surgery, where decisions to pause, restart, or bridge anticoagulation significantly impact patient outcomes. Despite the availability of various guidelines, selecting the appropriate approach for each patient remains challenging. To address this, a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) was developed (PERI-KOAG) to assist in perioperative anticoagulation management. A study compared the effectiveness of PERI-KOAG to a control group using other resources. Results indicated that the CDSS significantly improved the identification of evidence-based treatment approaches, suggesting its potential to enhance clinical management in perioperative settings.

Motivation: With the high stakes involved in perioperative anticoagulation management and the complexity of patient care, reliable decision-making tools are essential. Existing guidelines provide a framework, but individualized patient care demands precision. The development of the CDSS aimed to address this gap by providing tailored, evidence-based recommendations.

Goals and Approach: The CDSS was developed based on extensive medical content and validated through pilot and multicenter studies. Participants were randomized into groups using the CDSS exclusively or relying on other resources. The effectiveness of the CDSS was evaluated by comparing participants’ ability to identify evidence-based treatment approaches in a multiple-choice test.

Results: The study demonstrated that the CDSS significantly improved the identification of evidence-based treatment approaches compared to freely accessible resources. However, achieving the maximum benefit from the CDSS requires meticulous data entry, and incomplete or incorrect inputs may lead to inappropriate recommendations and patient harm. Nonetheless, the usage of CDSS in clinical practice is suggested to enhance the management of perioperative anticoagulation and improve patient outcomes.

Outlook for Medical Practice: The successful implementation and validation of CDSS like PERI-KOAG highlight the potential of technology to augment decision-making in complex clinical scenarios. As healthcare becomes increasingly data-driven and patient-centered, CDSS will play a vital role in providing personalized, evidence-based care.

Medimir plans on expanding its system into other medical areas and indications.