Marshfield Clinic recognized as Anticoagulation Center of Excellence
For the Hub City Times
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield Clinic Health System was recently recognized by the Anticoagulation Forum as an Anticoagulation Center of Excellence. Anticoagulation Forum is “the largest organization of its kind, helping practitioners improve patient care by providing current and relevant information on best practices,” according to the organization’s website.
To be recognized as an Anticoagulation Center of Excellence, organizations must meet rigorous criteria in a number of areas related to anticoagulation services like drug-therapy management, transition and coordination of care, service operational performance, and patient and family education.
“This recognition means your organization is providing excellent patient care because you’re highly aware of the current, evidence-based guidelines,” said Jodi Linzmeier, assistant manager of Anticoagulation Services for Marshfield Clinic Health System. “It helps set us apart as a health system that is providing top-of-the-line care.”
Melissa Mikelson, manager of Anticoagulation Services for Marshfield Clinic Health System, said a great deal of credit for earning this recognition belongs to Linzmeier.
“Jodi had to get specially certified for our Health System to even be eligible for this recognition,” Mikelson said. “We needed that one person to do that. Jodi going and doing that was not easy, and it is quite an achievement.”
Mikelson added that the continuity and longevity of much of the staff involved in Anticoagulation Services has helped the program flourish. She and Linzmeier have worked in Anticoagulation Services for 21 years and many other providers and staff have been involved over many years.
“We grew with this program and we learned and we developed,” Linzmeier said. “We’ve grown with the amount of patients we talk with. We’ve grown with processes and technology. When we started out, we managed just the internal medicine patients in Marshfield. We manage the entire System now.”
Earning this recognition puts Marshfield Clinic Health System in exclusive company.
“Over the life of the program, approximately 125 practices have achieved this recognition. About 1 in 5 practices who take the assessment, pass,” said Elaine Whalen, program director for Anticoagulation Centers of Excellence.