title: Saving lives and conserving blood: changing blood transfusion practices at St. John's Hospital, Springfield, Missouri.
abstract: We measured mean transfusion rates for 11 conditions accounting for the majority of inpatient blood transfusions and the pre-transfusion hemoglobin threshold triggering the transfusion. We then developed evidence-based recommendations for lower blood hemoglobin transfusion 'triggers.' Implementation of the transfusion guidelines and consensus building has decreased blood transfusion for the eleven conditions at St. John's Regional Health System (SJRHS) by 11.3% year to date (July 2002-March 2003).
authors.forename: Alexander R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hover
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madigan
authors.forename: Lesha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skidmore
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shell
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D032921:Consensus; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008923:Missouri; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic