WHY BLOOD MANAGEMENT?

Transfusion Therapy is Hazardous and Expensive, Yet Blood Utilization is Suboptimal!

Blood acquisition costs have more than doubled in the past few years and will continue to rise as the blood supply struggles to meet the increasing demand.
Each transfusion causes a stepwise increase in serious complications including postoperative infection rates, ventilator-acquired pneumonia, central line sepsis, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as mortality rates.
Transfusion costs exceed blood acquisition costs by five times or greater when accounting for labor, supplies, administration and adverse events.
Most physicians who order blood products lack formal training in transfusion therapy, and many are unaware of current transfusion guidelines.
Oversight of blood utilization is lacking as witnessed by wide variation in transfusion practices between institutions and among physicians at the same institution.
From a medical-legal standpoint, the financial liability of improper informed consent, inappropriate transfusions and transfusion errors can be substantial.

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