Eliminating Medically Unnecessary Blood Transfusions at a Community Teaching Hospital

Overutilizing blood transfusions adds significant costs and can increase patient length of stay and morbidity. This project aims to change transfusion practices by introducing evidence-based guidelines into the order entry pathway of the hospital's electronic medical record system and requiring physicians to document the reason for the transfusion based on the new guidelines.

HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital's goal was to reduce blood utilization by 25 percent within 12 months and eliminate 6,500 blood transfusions per year. During the project's first phase, blood usage decreased by 800 units, or 30 percent.

This case study is part of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association's annual Quality Excellence Achievement Awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals and health systems in continually improving and transforming health care in the state. These organizations are improving health by striving to achieve the Triple Aim—improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction), improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of health care—and the Institute of Medicine's six aims for improvement—safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. To learn more, visit https://www.ihaqualityawards.org/javascript-ui/IHAQualityAward/