Case Study: Main Line Health 2019 HAP Achievement Award

Awarded for: Implementing a Multifaceted Blood Product Management Program
Optimal Operations
Large Organizations

The goal:  Standardize the use of evidence-based transfusion guidance and best practices to reduce red blood cell and platelet wastage and clinically unnecessary transfusions:

• Reduce by 15 percent unnecessary red blood cell and platelet transfusions
• Reduce by 10 percent unnecessary plasma and cryoprecipitate transfusions

The Main Line Health team took a multifaceted approach to implement new, tighter criteria for blood product transfusions and ordering practices, including:

• Developing a clinical advisory that summarized best practice guidelines for blood product use
• Conducting a provider education campaign
• Implementing audit and feedback about ongoing provider ordering practices
• Creating alerts in the electronic medical record reminding clinicians of new protocols

To reduce red blood cell and platelet wastage, the team reduced the amount of platelets ordered for cardiac surgery preadmission and developed processes for sharing blood products among Main Line Health facilities and other local health systems.

Results:  For all blood products, Main Line Health reduced utilization to below the baseline targets. This resulted in significant savings while continuing to deliver the same excellence in patient care.

Download

Topics: Public Health, Quality Initiatives

Revision Date: 9/1/2019

Return to Previous Page