Patient blood management and the importance of the Transfusion Practitioner role to embed this into practice

Abstract

Patient blood management (PBM) is a widely established international initiative, with a multidisciplinary approach to reduce transfusion. The Transfusion Practitioner¹ (TP) role is well embedded in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. The value of the TP in changing both culture and practice to implement an all-inclusive PBM approach to care will be discussed. The TP role was born from both a safety and haemovigilance culture, where the greatest identified risk to the patient undergoing a transfusion was human error. From this initial trigger for improved safety, the TP role has evolved to a multifaceted, highly specialised role, involved in both PBM and transfusion processes. As the transfusion paradigm shifted from product to patient, the TP role evolved to include PBM, with an emphasis on the patients and the impact transfusion has on them. A multidisciplinary team is required to drive both PBM and transfusion; the TP is recognised as a critical link in the multidisciplinary team. They are seen as a driving force for change, bridging the gap between the laboratory and clinical arenas. The TP plays a vital role in helping establish and embed PBM that improves patient and safety outcomes.

Keywords: haemovigilance; patient blood management; transfusion practitioner.