
In May 2025, Northern Health was officially designated an international Anticoagulation Center of Excellence by the Anticoagulation Forum, a leading multidisciplinary organisation committed to improving anticoagulation care globally.
This recognition followed a rigorous review process assessing Northern Health’s practices across five key domains of care.
Anticoagulant medicines play a critical role in venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention and treatment but carry significant risks. With a narrow therapeutic window, both under- and over-anticoagulation can lead to serious complications including bleeding, thrombosis, and even death. Careful prescribing, dosing, monitoring, and coordination across the continuum of care are essential to ensure patient safety.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, remains a leading cause of preventable harm in hospitalised patients. In Australia, VTE is estimated to account for seven per cent of all in-hospital deaths and costs the health system approximately $1.72 billion annually. Effective prevention and management of VTE are essential to improving patient outcomes and reducing harm.
Northern Health has also recently partnered with Safer Care Victoria for a collaborative project on Preventing Venous Thromboembolism and Supporting Anticoagulation Management. This will further strengthen our Anticoagulation Stewardship Program, focusing on reducing VTE events in our perioperative and medical patients, as well as optimising anticoagulant management.
Key highlights of Northern Health’s Anticoagulation Service include:
- Establishment of a VTE & Anticoagulation Committee providing governance and leadership.
- Implementation of an Anticoagulation Stewardship Program to optimise prescribing and safety.
- Introduction of the VTE Risk Assessment Monitor, with VTE assessment completion rates rising from 30 per cent in October 2023 to 70 per cent by May 2025.
- Launch of a multidisciplinary Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) Meeting, supported by updated clinical guidelines for high- and intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism management.
- Mechanical thrombectomy for pulmonary embolism, becoming the first Victorian hospital to perform large bore thrombectomy in May 2024 and one of only three centres offering this service in Victoria (Northern, Austin, Barwon).
- Establishment of Victoria’s first Virtual Thrombosis Clinic, as part of a service offering four dedicated thrombosis clinics weekly.
- Development of an Emergency Department DOAC Low-Risk PE Discharge Pathway, allowing selected patients to safely commence treatment and be discharged directly from ED.
- Enhanced telehealth and outpatient follow-up pathways ensuring safe transitions of care for patients on anticoagulation.
- Ensure smooth transition of care in high-risk patients being discharged on anticoagulation
Northern Health’s participation in this international program reflects an ongoing commitment to delivering safe, evidence-based anticoagulation care and achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients.
Featured image: Top from left to right – Uyen Hua (Chief Pharmacy Informatic Officer), Prof Prahlad Ho (CMO, Divisional Director Cancer Services Diagnostic & Outpatient Services), David Nguyen (Deputy Director of Pharmacy – Quality & Informatics)
Bottom from left to right – A/Prof Hui Yin Lim (Haematology & Thrombosis Lead, Head of Diagnostic Haematology), Simon Huynh (Anticoagulation Stewardship Pharmacy, Medical Team Lead Pharmacy)