Government blood management guidelines echo those of Strategic Healthcare Group LLC

Indianapolis, IN, June 29, 2011 -  A government panel has declared that hospital patients in the United States may be receiving unnecessary blood transfusions.

The announcement is not news to Strategic Healthcare Group LLC, an Indianapolis company that for several years has been urging doctors and hospitals to use less blood.

The advisory committee cites significant variation across the country is how readily doctors order units of blood for ailing patients.  According to AP reporter Lauran Neergaard, the U.S. uses more blood than many other industrialized countries, and the trendline is up. This, even as blood shortages plague many communities periodically.

Bottom line:  a government advisory panel is calling for national standards regarding transfusion – standards Hannon’s company has strongly advocated for all along.

Hannon emphasizes that a more evolved approach to blood use is fully in keeping with at least two major initiatives:  patient safety, and healthcare reform.  Indeed, hospitals using Hannon’s education and informatics approach to blood transfusions have achieved documented reductions in blood utilization from 13 to 30 percent, resulting in millions of dollars in healthcare cost savings.

More importantly, the avoidance of thousands of unnecessary blood transfusions has increased patient safety, reduced harm, and undoubtedly saved untold lives. 

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About Strategic Healthcare Group
Strategic Healthcare Group is a physician-led company that is uniquely qualified to help implement effective healthcare practices because of our clinical backgrounds and our experience in leading large scale change initiatives. The President and Founder of SHG is Dr. Timothy Hannon, one of the nation’s most knowledgeable and renowned blood management physicians. Our expert staff includes experienced nurses, risk managers and hospital executives; and our scientific advisors constitute the best and brightest in blood management. As clinicians we use methods that are evidence based and patient centered; as leaders in healthcare we are data driven and systems oriented.

Strategic Healthcare Group LLC
Timothy Hannon, MD, MBA, President & CEO
317-575-9301 x226
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