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Blood management during the COVID-19 pandemic
Deborah Tolich1, Moises Auron2, Kelly McCoy3
1Director, Blood Management, Surgical Operations, Cleveland Clinic detoli@ccf.org.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted blood supplies. Cleveland Clinic implemented strategies for blood collection, management, and patient blood management to ensure adequate blood product availability.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Transfusion Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant blood supply chain disruptions due to reduced blood donations.
- Healthcare systems faced challenges in delivering effective care amidst blood shortages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline strategies implemented by Cleveland Clinic to manage blood supply during the pandemic.
- To improve patient blood management and optimize blood product utilization.
Main Methods:
- Initiated a call for increased blood collection.
- Aligned efforts across transfusion medicine departments (blood banks).
- Enhanced monitoring and triage of blood product usage.
- Increased education on patient blood management, blood utilization, and anemia management.
- Developed an algorithm to assess anemia risks in patients with canceled elective surgeries to optimize preoperative hemoglobin levels.
Main Results:
- Synchronous efforts were made to address blood shortages and manage supply chain disruptions.
- Focus on optimizing blood product use and anemia management in surgical patients.
Conclusions:
- Proactive and coordinated strategies are essential for maintaining blood supply during public health crises.
- Patient blood management and optimized utilization are key to navigating healthcare challenges during pandemics.
Abstract:
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has required healthcare systems to implement strategies for effective healthcare delivery while managing blood supply chain disruptions and shortages created by infection-limiting practices that have reduced blood donations. At Cleveland Clinic, we have made multiple synchronous efforts: a call for increased blood collection, alignment of efforts among transfusion medicine departments (blood banks), enhanced monitoring and triage of blood product use, and increased education on patient blood management practices regarding blood utilization and anemia management. In addition, we created an algorithm to assess anemia risks in patients whose elective surgery was cancelled to optimize preoperative hemoglobin levels.
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