When Every Drop Counts – Using Manitoba’s Blood Designations Wisely

Southern Health-Santé Sud was named the first health region in Canada to receive the national Use Blood Wisely designation. This means that each Southern Health-Santé Sud blood establishment has met or exceeded the national benchmark for appropriate red blood cell use in Canada.

As a vital and vital resource, protecting Canada’s blood supply has never been more important due to the urgent care needs and stresses associated with COVID-19. That’s why more than 120 hospitals are participating in the Use Blood Wisely campaign, a national initiative to reduce inappropriate red blood cell transfusions. This campaign challenges hospitals to check their hospital patients’ red blood cell transfusions to see how they stack up against national benchmarks of relevance.

Southern Health-Santé Sud is a designated bilingual regional health authority located in southern Manitoba, covering an area of ​​over 27,025 square kilometers where vibrant communities thrive, including: 20 rural municipalities, 7 municipalities, 4 cities, 4 villages, 1 village and 1 unorganized territory; 7 First Nations communities and many other cultures and communities, including Métis, Hutterites, Francophones and Mennonites. They serve over 207,855 residents, the fastest growing population in Manitoba.

“These designations are an exciting achievement for all levels of healthcare, from leadership to frontline staff,” said Dr. Charles Musuka, Medical Director, Transfusion Medicine, Shared Health. “We are very grateful for the hard work and dedication of all clinical and laboratory staff in Manitoba. This is a testament to their commitment to providing the best possible patient care and best practices in Manitoba.

With the support of the Shared Health Transfusion Medicine Program, Best Blood Manitoba and Choosing Wisely Manitoba, hospitals and facilities in Southern Health-Sant̩ Sud have partnered to implement the Transfusion Management Project РAppropriate Blood Cell Use. red in patients hospitalized in Manitoba. This provincial change in clinical practice has implemented a new set of guidelines that optimize laboratory and clinical processes to assess the suitability of each unit transfused in a hospital setting.

Nurse educators, clinical educators, physicians, leaders and other staff from Southern Health-Santé Sud also participated in a key phase of the Appropriate Red Blood Cell Use project. Prior to the provincial roll-out of the project, these individuals volunteered their time and expertise to the transfusion stewardship team by joining a workshop to provide feedback on the guidelines. This additional support provided by the region has been an influential aspect in the success of this important change for our province.

“The Southern Health-Santé Sud region has been an important partner in this project,” said Petr Kresta, COO, Diagnostic Services, Shared Health. “Staff and clinicians in the region have come together to provide significant assistance to our transfusion medicine department by reviewing and testing changes to optimize this process for all of Manitoba. Being named the first region in Canada to receive the Use Blood Wisely designation is an exciting testament to their commitment to transfusion management.

When every drop counts, it takes a concerted effort to protect Canada’s blood supply. Choosing Wisely and Canadian Blood Services would like to thank the participating hospitals for their pursuit of best practices in transfusion medicine and their collective efforts to provide safe, quality and appropriate care.