Patient Blood Management Program

Providing patient-centered care through optimal blood product management

What is Patient Blood Management (PBM)?

Patient Blood Management (PBM) is the best use of best practice medical and surgical techniques focusing on the patient's own blood as a precious resource with the goal of delivering improved patient outcomes.

What are Some of the Benefits of PBM?

It is true that the risk of certain diseases being transmitted through blood transfusions is much lower that it used to be, but sometimes better options exist. If you have any questions about the information contained here, please speak with your physician.

Patients treated with PBM techiques may:

experience improved outcomes
lower the risk of post-operative infections
decrease exposure to viruses/diseases transmission
return home sooner

The Program

The mission of the Southwest General PBM is to improve patient outcomes through patient-specific care by utilizing best practice medical and surgical strategies to reduce or eliminate blood and blood component transfusions.

The multidisciplinary team is led by Gil S. Peleg, DDS, MD. The goal of the team is to develop a plan of care that uses the latest drugs, technology and techniques to decrease blood loss and enhance a patient's own blood supply, thus reducing or eliminating the need for a blood transfusion.

Bloodless Program

The Bloodless Program is available to patients, who due to religious or other objections, resolutely refuse the use of blood transfusion even in life-threatening situations. Using the latest techniques associated with PBM allows for patients enrolled in the Bloodless Program to receive best practice treatment, while also having their wishes respected. Because bloodless health care includes such a variety of specialties and some alternatives can require time to be effective, it is very important for patients to contact the Bloodless Program as early as possible in the course of treatment and to receive a referral to a participating physician.

PBM Program Coordinator

The PBM program coordinator is a trained and experienced clinician in the many aspects of patient blood management, and serves as an educational and supportive resource. To reach the program coordinator, call Amy Lombardo, RN, at 440-816-4685. She provides the following service:

Bloodless patient resource
Educates patients regarding their options
Assists patients in documenting their choices
Provides physician referrals
Monitors patient progress during hospitalizations as requested

What Strategies/Techniques are Included in PBM?

Check your blood counts
Diagnose anemia - Anemia is a lower than normal red blood cell count. Diagnosing the type or cause of the anemia makes it possible to choose the right treatment.
Medications to help your body make new red blood cells
Minimum blood draws

In addition to the above, surgical patients may benefit from:

Early pre-admission testing (at least four weeks prior to surgery) - Having your blood counts checked early allows time to diagnose and treat anemia before surgery
Minimally invasive surgical techniques to decrease blood loss
Devices that can recover blood lost during surgery and return it to the patient
Medications, positioning and other strategies to decrease bleeding

Pre-operative Anemic Clinic

Southwest General's Pre-operative Anemia Clinic has been developed to diagnose and treat anemia prior to surgery, thus reducing a patient's risk of exposure to transfusion during and after surgery. The Anemia Clinic is located in the UH Seidman Cancer Center at Southwest General. If your physician sends you to the UH Seidman Cancer Center for anemia treatment, this does NOT mean you have cancer.

If you would like more information about the Amemia Clinic, please contact the PBM Program coordinator at 440-816-4685. To make an appointment for the Anemia Clinic, please call the UH Seidman Cancer Center at Southwest General at 440-816-6051. Please note, a physician order is needed to be treated through the Anemia Clinic.