Blood management: a primer for clinicians.
Blood transfusions are common in the hospital setting. Despite the large commitment of resources to the delivery of blood components, many clinicians have only a vague understanding of the complexities associated with blood management and transfusion therapy. The purpose of this primer is to broaden the awareness of health care practitioners in terms of the risks versus benefits of blood transfusions, their economics, and alternative treatments. By developing and implementing comprehensive blood management programs, hospitals can promote safe and clinically effective blood utilization practices. The cornerstones of blood management programs are the implementation of evidence-based transfusion guidelines to reduce variability in transfusion practice, and the employment of multidisciplinary teams to study, implement, and monitor local blood management strategies. Pharmacists can play a key role in blood management programs by providing technical expertise as well as oversight and monitoring of pharmaceutical agents used to reduce the need for allogeneic blood.
Boucher
Bradley A
BA
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA.
Hannon
Timothy J
TJ
D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D024382:Professional Role; D012308:Risk Management / Q000379:methods