Blood and Bleeding Management in Developing Economies: Perceptions, Preparedness, and the Evolving Practices

Abstract

Objectives: The growing concerns around the judicious use of blood components have paved the way for the dissemination of awareness around the best practices related to the use of this precious resource. With the World Health Organization issuing a policy brief on the urgent implementation of Patient Blood Management (PBM), there has been an accelerated impetus within the healthcare ecosystem to imbibe and implement the principles and practices of PBM. This research work aims to understand the current level of understanding, adequacy, and appropriateness of practices and readiness toward the universal and standardized implementation of PBM. Approach: This article summarizes the findings of an online survey. The survey consisted of a Google Form questionnaire with responses in multiple-choice, open and closed ends, as well as short notes. The survey responses were analyzed and summed up graphically. The survey established that there is still a huge gap in the “multispecialty approach” to setting up of the safe tolerance limits to anemia, optimal cutoffs, and thresholds for transfusion and shifting focus from “blood product” safety to “patient” safety. Conclusion: A lot of guidance- and evidence-based recommendations on transfusion practices are available in developed economies; the developing world still continues to weigh the advantages against the availability of and access to resources needed for implementation. Within these economies, and among different strata of healthcare infrastructure, there is still a significant difference in the perceptions and practices around blood transfusion and bleeding management.