Does patient blood management represent good value for money?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Economics
• Transfusion Medicine
• Clinical Management

Background:

• Patient blood management (PBM) encompasses strategies to optimize blood product use and minimize transfusion needs.
• Evidence-based transfusion practices are crucial for patient safety and resource management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize economic evaluations of PBM strategies.
• To determine the cost-effectiveness and value for money of PBM initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of published economic evaluations of PBM.
• Analysis of cost-effectiveness conclusions from 54 identified studies.

Main Results:

• The majority of PBM economic evaluations reported positive cost-effectiveness findings.
• Anemia management (e.g., ferric carboxymaltose), restrictive transfusion strategies, and tranexamic acid administration are highly cost-effective.
• Intraoperative cell salvage demonstrates cost-effectiveness in high-bleeding-risk patients.

Conclusions:

• PBM programs are generally cost-effective and improve patient outcomes across diverse populations.
• Specific PBM interventions offer significant economic benefits and clinical advantages.
• Further research should assess the impact of PBM on blood supply preservation.