Reducing Routine Post-Operative Day 1 CBC Ordering for Low-risk Elective Cesarean Sections

Abstract

Routine post-operative hemoglobin (Hb) measurement after uncomplicated, elective cesarean-section (CS) is a practice that varies between hospitals. There is no evidence to recommend routine CBC ordering after CS. At Sunnybrook, 98% of elective CS have routine post-operative day 1 (POD1) CBC, but only 10% will have anemia-related intervention (PO/IV iron or blood transfusion). We aim to reduce routine POD1 CBC ordering for elective, uncomplicated CS in low-risk patients from 98% to 50% in April 2021 and maintain a reduction in July 2021.