title: Blood utilization: fostering an effective hospital transfusion culture.
abstract: An effective hospital transfusion culture should encourage clinicians to consider the possibility of transfusion in their patients well before the need actually arises, and to plan ahead in an attempt to use blood products most efficiently. Strategies for improved blood utilization include timely and adequate preoperative assessment of risk, optimization of baseline hemoglobin, anticipation of potential transfusion problems, intraoperative techniques to minimize blood loss, blood conservation technologies, transfusion guidelines and targeted therapy, point of care testing, and massive transfusion protocols. Attention to these elements promotes a safe and cost-effective transfusion culture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. chsherman@msn.com
authors.forename: Carolyn Hyatt
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Duncan C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Macivor
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D015279:Organizational Culture; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011300:Preoperative Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors