Guiding the decision to transfuse - Interventions that do and do not work

Guiding the decision to transfuse can improve transfusion practices. Effect ive processes must first identify problem(s) in transfusion practice and th en include the attending physician as an educational target. process improv ements that have been shown to be effective include the following: (1) brie fly meeting one-on-one with physicians, (2) teaching at scheduled conferenc es, (3) making daily clinical rounds of patients who receive transfusion, ( 4) concurrently reviewing orders for transfusion before issue of the blood product, and (5) installing algorithms and guidelines in the operating room . Transfusion practices improved with these process improvements.