Regulatory Impact on Thrombosis Treatment, Prevention, and Anticoagulant Use.

Thromboembolism afflicts millions of patients annually in the United States and is associated with a significant cost burden. Oral anticoagulants provide clinicians with options for management of these diseases and their use continues to grow. Accordingly, regulatory, legislative, and nonprofit organizations have set performance standards with the goal of improving patient outcomes, ensuring patient safety, and reducing costs. Recent efforts in quality improvement have introduced changes surrounding regulatory requirements, surveillance, litigation, and oversight that clinicians should be familiar with. This article summarizes key updates related to the management of anticoagulant therapy as it relates to thrombosis prevention and treatment.