FEATURED MEDICAL EDUCATION TOPIC: Transfusing Wisely: Best Practices

What is the problem?

Blood transfusion is one of the most commonly performed medical interventions, yet it remains one of the most frequently overused. Despite strong evidence and well-established AABB guidelines supporting restrictive transfusion practices, many clinicians continue to transfuse at higher hemoglobin thresholds or without clear indications. This overuse contributes to several significant problems: increased patient risk, higher healthcare costs, and unnecessary depletion of a scarce and costly resource. Excess transfusion exposes patients to avoidable complications such as TRALI, TACO, and transfusion-related infections, with vulnerable groups—such as surgical, orthopedic, and critically ill patients—at particularly high risk. At the same time, blood products are expensive to produce, limited in availability, and often wasted when transfusion practices are not aligned with evidence-based guidelines. The gap between research findings and bedside practice highlights an urgent need for improved clinician education, clearer decision-making tools, and stronger patient communication.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learners will be able to:

• Explain the physiology of anemia and transfusion thresholds
• Select evidence-based transfusion thresholds for major clinical syndromes
• Review/counsel patients on the risks of transfusion

If your medical staff needs an update on best practices in transfusion medicine, consider contacting our office to book a speaker at 877-505-4777 or info@speakersnetwork.com.

REFERENCES

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28738984/

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD002042.pub6/full

https://www.aabb.org/news-resources/resources/clinical-practice-resources