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BACKGROUND. Patient blood management (PBM) is an evidence-based approach recommended to improve patient outcomes. Change in practices is often challenging. We report here data from French surgical departments before and after a standardized implementation of a PBM program. METHODS. This was a national, multicenter, observational study in surgical centers (“expert” centers with an already established protocol for preoperative anemia or “pilot” centers). Data from consecutive surgical patients of different specialties were retrieved before and after the implementation of a PBM program. Primary outcome variables (preoperative anemia treatment rates, transfusion rates, and length of hospital stay) before and after the implementation of a PBM program were analyzed with segmented regression adjusted on confounders (American Society of Anesthesiologists ASA scores and centers). RESULTS. A total of 1618 patients (ASA physical status III and IV, 38% in the first period and 45% in the second period) were included in expert (N = 454) or pilot (N = 1164) centers during the first period (January 2017–August 2022) and 1542 (N = 440 and N = 1102, respectively) during the second period (January 2020–February 2023). After implementation of the PBM program, the rate of preoperative anemia treatment increased (odds ratio, 2.37; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.20–4.74; P = .0136) and length of hospital stay in days decreased (estimate, −0.11; 95% CI, −0.21 to −0.02; P = .0186). Transfusion rate significantly decreased only in expert centers (odds ratio, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03–0.88; P = .0354). CONCLUSIONS. PBM practices in various surgical specialties improved significantly after the implementation of a PBM program. However, too many patients with preoperative anemia remained untreated.
Lasocki et al. (Tue,) studied this question.