Step by step towards a clinical pathway

Clinical pathways attempt to increase efficiency by organizing the care delivery process into individual analysable steps. We evaluate a digital clinical pathway for electrocardioversion in atrial fibrillation with a nurse coordinator in the ongoing consecutive experience in clinical practice. This paper describes the implementation and effects of introducing a clinical pathway. The pathway was launched in January 2008. Up to January 2009, 450 all-comer elective patients have been treated using this integrated digital clinical pathway without exception. Treatment and outpatient check-up appointments are made immediately for all patients. The pathway reduced walk-through times significantly. A clinical pathway for cardioversion patients is safely and efficaciously introduced in a teaching hospital.