The Kaiser Permanente Colorado Clinical Pharmacy Anticoagulation Service as a model of modern anticoagulant care

The Clinical Pharmacy Anticoagulation Service (CPAS) at Kaiser Permanente Colorado grew from a single pharmacist assisting a single physician to a comprehensive service staffed by over 20 employees. CPAS provides care for over 7200 patients with each CPAS pharmacist managing all aspects of anticoagulation therapy for 150 to 500 patients. Unique aspects of CPAS include its centralized organization structure, the use of telepharmacy, collaboration drug therapy management agreement with referring physicians and a robust research agenda. Results of various CPAS research projects have been published in the peer-reviewed medical literature.