David H Howard1, John D Roback2, David J Murphy3. 1. Department of Health Policy & Management, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 303222, USA. 2. Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Center for Transfusion & Cellular Therapies, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 303223, USA. 3. Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep & Critical Care Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.
Abstract
AIM: We estimate the impact of the FOCUS trial, which concluded that hip surgery patients with hemoglobin values above 8 g/dl do not benefit from routine transfusions, on transfusion rates. METHODS: We evaluated trends in transfusion rates using inpatient discharge data from four states. RESULTS: The transfusion rate was 5.2 percentage points lower in the fourth quarter of 2013 than it would have been had pre-FOCUS trends continued. Transfusion rates declined more in hospitals with a low end-of-life treatment intensity index, a general measure of treatment intensity. CONCLUSION: The FOCUS trial affected practice, but there are additional opportunities to reduce the use of transfusions.
AIM: We estimate the impact of the FOCUS trial, which concluded that hip surgery patients with hemoglobin values above 8 g/dl do not benefit from routine transfusions, on transfusion rates. METHODS: We evaluated trends in transfusion rates using inpatient discharge data from four states. RESULTS: The transfusion rate was 5.2 percentage points lower in the fourth quarter of 2013 than it would have been had pre-FOCUS trends continued. Transfusion rates declined more in hospitals with a low end-of-life treatment intensity index, a general measure of treatment intensity. CONCLUSION: The FOCUS trial affected practice, but there are additional opportunities to reduce the use of transfusions.
Entities:
Keywords:
dissemination; evidenced base medicine; practice variation; surgery; transfusions