Erica Wood, president of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), said on Sunday that a strong evidence base is needed for the clinical practice of blood transfusions. He called for greater coordination between blood banks and doctors to improve the outcomes of blood transfusion therapy.
“We need a better evidence base to guide clinical practice through outcome audits,” Wood said at a symposium on patient blood management.
Addressing the seminar, Wood said that blood transfusion practices need to go beyond four fundamentals – providing the right blood product to the right patient at the right time for the right reason.
“We need to understand a few more additional things to understand the suitability of transfusion. For example, we can do the first four. But what do we know about the outcomes for our patients? Are we measuring them? Are we improving them? Are we asking our patients how they are doing after a blood transfusion? What about the cost? he said.
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premium“We all know that providing a safe and adequate supply of blood for transfusion, even with volunteer donors, is such a huge investment. And those units are precious and so we want to make sure we use those donor gifts fairly And also with the money of the community who do this,” Woods continued.
The ISBT President noted that there are gaps in the evidence, including any clinical conditions and patient groups, and they need to be addressed through mapping the functional outcomes of blood transfusions, as well as reporting the results to patients. Engaging in analyzing health economics.
Underlining that no blood transfusion is 100% safe, Wood cited a recent survey in the UK that reported 12 deaths following a major transfusion event and said that the ongoing infection of blood in the UK The investigation is meant to examine the circumstances in which it was given to patients in public hospitals. Infused blood products, especially since the 1970s, underscore the risks involved in the procedure and the need for vigilance at all stages of transfusion.
Woods also advocated for greater interaction between blood-banks and doctors.
“Standalone blood centers can be part of the blood transfusion committees of the hospitals they serve and learn from each other. They can invite professional societies (of doctors) to come and speak and know their needs and we can also attend their meetings,” she told the audience.
Speaking at a technical session titled Anemia and Hemostasis Management, Dr. Sukesh Nair, Professor of Pathology, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, said that doctors should do everything possible to avoid blood transfusion by conducting proper tests and administration. should try. Medicines. “If you can avoid a transfusion even if you have the right reason, that’s great,” he said.