VIDEO: EMR reminder reduces unnecessary transfusions
AT THE ACS CLINICAL CONGRESS
SAN FRANCISCO – To reduce unnecessary transfusions, all it takes is a reminder in the electronic medical record system that they aren’t generally necessary if surgery patients have hemoglobins greater than 10 g/dL, according to investigators from Emory University in Atlanta.
A reminder in Emory’s EMR dropped transfusion rates in cardiothoracic patients without increasing negative outcomes. It also saved money and reduced the number of surgical site infections. Emory is now rolling it out systemwide (J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2014 June 25 [doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2014.06.012]). Lead investigator Dr. Seyed Razavi explained the initiative in a video interview at the annual clinical congress of the American College of Surgeons.