But there are risks associated with anticoagulants, if they are not carefully administered and monitored. One of these is uncontrolled bleeding, which can potentially be fatal. Thus, creation of an effective system of anticoagulant management is key to reducing risk of stroke in people with AF Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in about 2 million Americans, according to the American Heart Association. One of those is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who was recently hospitalized in Seattle after an AF attack. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.
Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States.
About 4.4 million stroke survivors are alive today. In part this was because physicians were doing better than past experience would suggest. But we also found that many physicians were reluctant to use services that only applied to the group of their patients covered by a particular insurance plan. When the insurer and provider are not integrated, it really can make care more complex. The benefit to patients doesn't really occur when the system is fragmented.