HemeTEAM India: together everyone achieves more.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Transplant Medicine
• Interprofessional Healthcare

Background:

• Interprofessional team-based care enhances patient-focused outcomes but is underutilized in bone marrow transplant (BMT) settings, particularly in India.
• This study details a single-center experience demonstrating the effectiveness of interdisciplinary care in a BMT unit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an integrated, interdisciplinary team approach on patient outcomes and operational efficiency in a bone marrow transplant unit.
• To establish a comprehensive hematology and transplant program in India offering holistic patient care.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of HemeTEAM India, an integrative approach involving experts from diverse medical and allied specialties.
• Establishment of advanced laboratories to support interdisciplinary care.
• Comparative analysis of outcomes before (pre-2021) and after (2021-2024) the implementation of the HemeTEAM India initiative.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in day 100 mortality (∼70%) and hospital-acquired infections.
• Increased uptake of genomics-based testing (95%) and genetically informed treatment (65%).
• Reduced average hospital stay (21 to 19 days) and ICU stay (7 to 3 days), alongside improved net profit (12% to 16%) and patient cost savings (∼$10,000).

Conclusions:

• The integrative, team-based approach in the BMT unit provides holistic interdisciplinary care, proving effective in the Indian context.
• This initiative represents the largest and first of its kind hematology team in South East Asia, offering comprehensive care under a single consultation.