Impact of Atrial Fibrillation Centre on ABC Pathway Implementation

This research article evaluates the impact of establishing an Atrial Fibrillation Centre (AFC) on the adherence to the Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway in a large teaching hospital in China. Utilizing an interrupted time series analysis, the study assesses monthly adherence rates before and after the AFC's establishment in October 2018. The findings indicate an overall increase in adherence by 11.82%, with significant improvements noted in the cardiology and internal medicine departments. The study highlights that while adherence to anticoagulation and symptom control improved, comorbidity management remained unchanged. Barriers to optimal management include limited access to ablation procedures and fragmented care. The article discusses the necessity for enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration and procedural accessibility to optimize atrial fibrillation care. The results underscore the effectiveness of the AFC in improving adherence to the ABC pathway, particularly in stroke prevention and symptom management, while also identifying areas needing further improvement.