Patient blood management is a patient-oriented approach to avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions. With patient blood management, multiple strategies to reduce or eliminate the need for transfusions are employed.
While patient blood management results in decreased transfusions, transfusions are still reserved as an option to be used when necessary in the patient’s care.
Most patients are willing to provide consent for a potentially life-saving blood transfusion. At the same time, these patients would hope to avoid an unnecessary blood transfusion. Taking steps to minimize or avoid transfusion, if possible, is known as patient blood management.
Our six-point patient blood management plan focuses on ways to reduce blood transfusions. UPMC physicians, nurses, administrators, and support personnel work together to improve patient care by implementing these blood management techniques.
For people who are unable to have blood transfusions, the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at UPMC offers guidance to doctors and their patients on blood management strategies.
For more information about the Patient Blood Management Program at UPMC, please contact us at 1-877-674-7111.
Michael Boisen, MD, FASE, Medical Director, UPMC Patient Blood Management Program
What inspires Dr. Boisen’s passion for patient blood management techniques? Let him explain in his own words:
"As a cardiac anesthesiologist, I am on the front lines administering blood to patients in the operating rooms and intensive care units and collaborating with multiple other specialties to provide care. Since we intersect with every surgical specialty as well as obstetric and trauma patients, anesthesiologists are well positioned to promote best transfusion practices, to optimize coagulation status, and to improve pre-operative diagnosis and management of anemia. I am excited to continue working to reduce unnecessary transfusions, to better engage our patients in shared decision-making, and to improve outcomes."
Dr. Boisen joins our UPMC Blood Management Experts and Staff in delivering a patient-oriented approach to avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions.
If you wish to refuse blood and/or blood products for a procedure, hospital stay, etc., you can save time by completing a Release From Liability for Failure to Administer Blood Transfusion Form (RFL) for Patients Who Decline Transfusions (PDF).
Bloodless medicine solutions are available for expecting mothers who choose not to receive blood transfusions. Connect with a bloodless medicine advocate early in your pregnancy and learn about available options. Call 877-674-7111 to get started.
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