Electronic Warning System to Improve Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation - A Quality Improvement Initiative at the University Hospital Bern

A large proportion of patients with atrial fibrillation do not receive stroke prevention therapy in line with the guidelines, in spite of the presence of an increased risk of stroke. It will be investigated whether an electronic alert to physicians, whose patients with atrial fibrillation do not receive stroke preventive measures, will increase the rate of adequate stroke preventive measures as compared to a control group of patients without an electronic alert. The electronic alerts will be sent if patients with atrial fibrillation but without adequate stroke preventive measures receive in-patient treatment at the University Hospital Bern. The electronic alert system includes a feature that helps the physicians in charge to evaluate the CHA2DS2VASC Score. At the end of the hospital stay medical discharge letters will be reviewed for initiation of adequate stroke preventive measures.