Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) recently received its Using Blood Wisely (UBW) hospital designation.
UBW is a national initiative of Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) in collaboration with Canadian Blood Services. CWC is the national voice for reducing inappropriate red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices in Canada, positively impacting patients, blood donors and Canada’s blood supply.
As part of its campaign, UBW invites a commitment from Canadian hospitals seeking to improve RBC transfusion practices. Sites that meet or exceed benchmarks set are eligible to become a designated UBW Hospital.
“The recognition of RVH as a Using Blood Wisely Hospital is an acknowledgement of our focus on evidence-based practice and patient safety in the transfusion service,” says Dr. Russell Price, RVH Clinical Director, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. “We are pleased to have achieved this significant designation.”
The UBW designation aims to eliminate inappropriate blood transfusions, reduce harm to patients resulting from transfusion associated adverse reactions, engage hospitals in transfusion quality improvement initiatives and preserve the Canadian blood supply for patients most in need of transfusion.
RVH’s Transfusion Service conducted audits of transfusion practice relating to hemoglobin threshold for transfusion and single unit transfusion administration, along with hospital-wide transfusion best practice education to meet the UBW targets. The team led this responsibility over a four-month period, successfully qualifying for the UBW hospital designation.
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