WRH Earns Using Blood Wisely Designation
1-2-2022
Windsor Regional Hospital, both Met and Ouellette Campuses, is excited to announce we have achieved the Using Blood Wisely Designation resulting in improved patient care while at the same time, improving the overall blood supply by reducing the need for blood transfusions.
In 2018, Windsor Regional Hospital had one of the highest transfusion rates in the Province. Following recommendations on blood transfusion requirements by Choosing Wisely Canada and the Canadian Blood Services, staff in our Labs and Transfusion Medicine diligently implemented new guidelines in the hospital. After a 3 year journey, the number of blood transfusions has been reduced by nearly half. Windsor Regional Hospital now has some of the best transfusion rates in the Province.
Four years ago, about 700 blood transfusions were performed per month and now, about 400 are done per month.
“Every single blood transfusion was audited to ensure it fell under the new guidelines of Choosing Wisely”, explained Coordinator for the Transfusion Medicine Department Alexandra Zioutis. “This required a lot of manual labour to review and evaluate every transfusion request in real-time and to capture the data to monitor our progress.”
Although receiving a blood transfusion can be life-saving, each transfusion presents some risks. The blood supply must also be protected and used wisely to ensure it is available to those when needed.
“In the past, it was standard practice to give 2 units of blood at a time with the intention of providing the best benefit for the patient. However, recent research indicates less is more. ‘Why give 2 when 1 will do’,” said Zioutis. “We have other treatments that can be given prior to giving blood that can help an individual and potentially avoid a transfusion. There are times when blood is required hence the reason these guidelines were formulated by Choosing Wisely. Therefore, this has improved quality care and decreased adverse effects to the patient with transfusions.”
Zioutis adds it is important to keep in mind an individual donated their blood so it is pertinent for the hospital to use that donation wisely.
The data was submitted to Choosing Wisely Canada to prove there had been a consistent reduction in the number of blood transfusions and benchmarks were reached and sustained.
“The Using Blood Wisely Hospital Designation symbolizes a commitment to red blood cell stewardship and to the continuous pursuit of quality improvement,” wrote Choosing Wisely Canada Chair Dr. Wendy Levinson. “Windsor Regional Hospital is among a select group of hospitals that’s making a difference for patients, donors, and Canada’s blood supply.”