title: Patient blood management -- the GP's guide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is accumulating evidence of a strong association between blood transfusion and adverse patient outcomes. Patient blood management aims to achieve improved patient outcomes by avoiding unnecessary exposure to blood products through effective conservation and management of a patient's own blood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To introduce the general practitioner's role in patient blood management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are a number of ways in which GPs can contribute to patient blood management, particularly in the care of patients scheduled for elective surgery. These include awareness, identification, investigation and management of patients with or at risk of anaemia; assessment of the adequacy of iron stores in patients undergoing planned procedures in which substantial blood loss is anticipated; awareness and assessment of medications and complementary medicines that might increase bleeding risk; and awareness of and ability to discuss with patients, the possible risks associated with blood transfusion and alternatives that may be available.
authors.affiliation: Transfusion Clinical Governance Unit, Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. sminck@redcrossblood.org.au
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minck
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saxon
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Spigiel
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019468:Disease Management; D058006:General Practice / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins