Uni of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital reduced blood use by at least 25%...and slashed blood-related costs by $3.5 million annually

The results from such centres as the Englewood Medical Centre in the USA show that bloodless cardiac surgery is not only as good, but the results are actually better for those who avoid blood transfusion than those who are transfused. Murphy and colleagues in 2007 concluded that “Red blood cell transfusion in patients having cardiac surgery is strongly associated with both infection and ischemic postoperative morbidity, hospital stay, increased early and late mortality, and hospital costs.” (Murphy GJ Reeves BC Rogers CA et al Increased Mortality, Postoperative Morbidity, and Cost After Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Patients Having Cardiac Surgery.Circulation. 2007;116:2544-2552.)
More recently, Patient Blood Management programs have been introduced in many US hospitals and the Australian National Blood Service has set up a Patient Blood Management Steering Company. Commenting in their 19th August 2010 Daily Briefing, the Advisory Board Company also noted the cost savings available through Patient Blood Management: “About 110 hospitals currently have blood management programs, up from about 70 facilities in 2002 ... One program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital reduced blood use by at least 25% since 2003 and slashed blood-related costs by $3.5 million annually.”
The next generation of medical practitioners will no longer consider transfusion a free, helpful expedient. Instead they will seek ways to ensure that all uncomplicated elective surgery is achieved without any blood being transfused. That will save the precious gift of blood donors for those who really need it.

Increased Mortality, Postoperative Morbidity, and Cost After Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Patients Having Cardiac Surgery - Click Thumbnail to enlarge