Transfusion Medicine Education Research Articles

Education in transfusion medicine for medical students and doctors

Vox SanguinisVolume 104, Issue 3 p. 250-272 INTERNATIONAL FORUM Education in transfusion medicine for medical students and doctors S. Panzer, S. PanzerSearch for more papers by this authorS. Engelbrecht, S. EngelbrechtSearch for more papers by this authorM. F. Cole-Sinclair, M. F. Cole-SinclairSearch for more papers by this authorE. M. Wood, E. M. WoodSearch for more papers by this authorS. Wendel, S. WendelSearch for more papers by this authorS. Biagini, S. BiaginiSearch for more papers by this authorZ. Zhu, Z. ZhuSearch for more papers by this authorJ.-J. Lefrère, J.-J. LefrèreSearch for more papers by this authorG. Andreu, G. AndreuSearch for more papers by this authorT. Zunino, T. ZuninoSearch for more papers by this authorJ.-J. Cabaud, J.-J. CabaudSearch for more papers by this authorP. Rouger, P. RougerSearch for more papers by this authorO. Garraud, O. GarraudSearch for more papers by this authorK. Janetzko, K. JanetzkoSearch for more papers by this authorM. Müller-Steinhardt, M. Müller-SteinhardtSearch for more papers by this authorP. van der Burg, P. van der BurgSearch for more papers by this authorA. Brand, A. BrandSearch for more papers by this authorP. Agarwal, P. AgarwalSearch for more papers by this authorT. Triyono, T. TriyonoSearch for more papers by this authorA. Gharehbaghian, A. GharehbaghianSearch for more papers by this authorN. Manny, N. MannySearch for more papers by this authorO. Zelig, O. ZeligSearch for more papers by this authorA. Takeshita, A. TakeshitaSearch for more papers by this authorY. Yonemura, Y. YonemuraSearch for more papers by this authorH. Fujihara, H. FujiharaSearch for more papers by this authorK. E. Nollet, K. E. NolletSearch for more papers by this authorH. Ohto, H. OhtoSearch for more papers by this authorK.-S. Han, K.-S. HanSearch for more papers by this authorV. S. Nadarajan, V. S. NadarajanSearch for more papers by this authorG. Berlin, G. BerlinSearch for more papers by this authorS. G. Sandler, S. G. SandlerSearch for more papers by this authorR. G. Strauss, R. G. StraussSearch for more papers by this authorH. W. Reesink, H. W. ReesinkSearch for more papers by this author S. Panzer, S. PanzerSearch for more papers by this authorS. Engelbrecht, S. EngelbrechtSearch for more papers by this authorM. F. Cole-Sinclair, M. F. Cole-SinclairSearch for more papers by this authorE. M. Wood, E. M. WoodSearch for more papers by this authorS. Wendel, S. WendelSearch for more papers by this authorS. Biagini, S. BiaginiSearch for more papers by this authorZ. Zhu, Z. ZhuSearch for more papers by this authorJ.-J. Lefrère, J.-J. LefrèreSearch for more papers by this authorG. Andreu, G. AndreuSearch for more papers by this authorT. Zunino, T. ZuninoSearch for more papers by this authorJ.-J. Cabaud, J.-J. CabaudSearch for more papers by this authorP. Rouger, P. RougerSearch for more papers by this authorO. Garraud, O. GarraudSearch for more papers by this authorK. Janetzko, K. JanetzkoSearch for more papers by this authorM. Müller-Steinhardt, M. Müller-SteinhardtSearch for more papers by this authorP. van der Burg, P. van der BurgSearch for more papers by this authorA. Brand, A. BrandSearch for more papers by this authorP. Agarwal, P. AgarwalSearch for more papers by this authorT. Triyono, T. TriyonoSearch for more papers by this authorA. Gharehbaghian, A. GharehbaghianSearch for more papers by this authorN. Manny, N. MannySearch for more papers by this authorO. Zelig, O. ZeligSearch for more papers by this authorA. Takeshita, A. TakeshitaSearch for more papers by this authorY. Yonemura, Y. YonemuraSearch for more papers by this authorH. Fujihara, H. FujiharaSearch for more papers by this authorK. E. Nollet, K. E. NolletSearch for more papers by this authorH. Ohto, H. OhtoSearch for more papers by this authorK.-S. Han, K.-S. HanSearch for more papers by this authorV. S. Nadarajan, V. S. NadarajanSearch for more papers by this authorG. Berlin, G. BerlinSearch for more papers by this authorS. G. Sandler, S. G. SandlerSearch for more papers by this authorR. G. Strauss, R. G. StraussSearch for more papers by this authorH. W. Reesink, H. W. ReesinkSearch for more papers by this author First published: 14 February 2013 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1423-0410.2012.1661.xCitations: 17AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume104, Issue3April 2013Pages 250-272 RelatedInformation

Postgraduate education in transfusion medicine in the absence of formal residency training: Assessment of factors needed to develop and sustain a postgraduate diploma program

BackgroundQuality education in transfusion medicine is key to delivering a safe and cost-effective blood service, yet postgraduate residency programs are lacking in many resource-limited countries and regions. The first formal, accredited, postgraduate training program in transfusion medicine aimed at medical doctors was developed and implemented at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 2008. In the context of high demand and limited resources, ensuring sustainability of postgraduate training programs is essential. Study design and methodsA formal qualitative and semi-quantitative research approach was followed to determine and test the factors considered important in program sustainability, and consisted of a literature survey, followed by semi-structured interviews and a Delphi survey. ResultsFifty-five factors were identified from the semi-structured interviews. During the Delphi survey, consensus was reached on 41 and stability declared on a further 13. These factors formed the basis of a structured model informing the sustainability aspects of a postgraduate program in transfusion medicine. ConclusionLiterature on program sustainability in the field of transfusion medicine is very limited. This study identified the key factors essential to the long-term viability of a postgraduate program in transfusion medicine and should find broad applicability in other resource-limited countries and regions. It is envisaged that this will enable such programs to reach a state of self-sufficiency while not being overly reliant on external funding and support.

Development of a Pediatric Transfusion Medicine Teaching Curriculum for Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellows to Improve Blood Product Utilization and Patient Safety: A Four-Year Experience

Development of a Pediatric Transfusion Medicine Teaching Curriculum for Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellows to Improve Blood Product Utilization and Patient Safety: A Four-Year Experience

Référentiel d’enseignement de la transfusion sanguine aux étudiants techniciens de laboratoire de biologie médicale

Purpose of the studyThe new French law about clinical laboratory medicine, the requirements of the ISO/CEI 15189 standard, the numerous abilities expected from the medical laboratory technologists and their involvement in blood bank management has led the working group “Recherche et démarche qualité” of the French Society of Blood Transfusion to initiate an inventory of blood transfusion teaching syllabus for medical laboratory technology students and to propose transfusion medicine teaching guidelines. Material and methodsSeven worksheets have been established for that purpose including red blood cell antigen typing and antibody screening, blood sampling in immunohaematology, automation, clinical practices, blood products, blood delivery and haemovigilance. ResultsThese guidelines aim at contributing to the harmonization of transfusion medicine teaching and at providing objective elements to the medical laboratory managers regarding the practical and theoretical skills of theirs collaborators.

A survey to assess transfusion medicine education needs for clinicians

To evaluate the baseline knowledge of attending clinicians, residents and medical students in transfusion medicine (TM) at our institution in order to develop specialty-specific lectures. Physicians often receive minimal training in TM. Transfusion practices vary widely among individual physicians and across institutions. This variation leads to increased and unnecessary risk to patients and elevated costs for hospitals--problems that may be addressed through TM education. An electronic self-administered survey was developed and administered to attending physicians, house staff and third and fourth year medical students at four hospitals. The survey consisted of 3 sections including background demographics, 14 knowledge assessment (KA) questions and opinions on educational needs. Two hundred and twenty-five surveys were received from physicians and medical students, of which 189 were completed and analysed. The overall mean score on the KA section was 31 · 4 ± 18 · 3% (4 · 4 ± 2 · 6 of 14 questions) correct. Significantly stronger performance was noted in the following categories: participants in the specialties pathology or hematology (adult and pediatric), all fellows and participants who report greater than 5 h of formal TM education in the past 5 years. The majority of participants believed that additional training in TM was needed for themselves as well as other physicians at all training levels. Additional training in TM would be beneficial to and welcomed by physicians in all training levels in all specialties. Innovative specialty-specific educational programmes need to be developed and tested to ensure efficacy and durability.

Changing educational paradigms in transfusion medicine

Over the past decades, the fields of activity and knowledge in transfusion medicine have evolved into an array of diverse areas and sub‐specialities including immunohaematology, blood component production, haemapheresis, pathogen detection, methods of cell and tissue collection and manipulation, cell conservation and banking, transplant immunology and haemostaseology. Physicians in most clinical disciplines require basic or more advanced knowledge in these fields to meet the requirements of modern medicine. Specialist physicians in transfusion medicine are valuable and competent partners for these related disciplines when it comes to safe, effective and tailored haemotherapy. Transfusion medicine is thus an important qualification at the interfaces of analytical laboratory medicine, pharmaceutical production and clinical disciplines such as internal medicine, anaesthesiology or surgery. In the past, blood transmittable diseases like HIV and hepatitis and adverse reactions to blood and cellular products have led to a complex system of regulatory and technical requirements. Good laboratory practice (GLP), good manufacturing practice (GMP), quality management systems and quality control on the pharmaceutical manufacturer’s level are only a few examples of the standards in today’s blood banking. European directives in the field of blood products, stem cell preparations and tissue have harmonized national regulation and led to higher uniform quality standards for biological preparations in a unified Europe, which is the desired outcome, but which also increases the complexity of this field. By contrast, directives 93/16/EEC, 2001/19/ EC, and 2005/36/EC, the directives of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications of European doctors currently in force, do not include transfusion medicine, blood transfusion or immune haematology at all. Other medical specialities, which like our field, are not common to all member states of the European Union, are listed in the above mentioned directives with the minimum length of training and minimal requirements for the qualifications. Bearing in mind the regional particularities of the medical speciality of transfusion medicine – caused by historical developments, rigidified by national legislations and the urgent need for quality standards also on the educatory level – we support a levelled approach in transfusion medicine education. Irrespective of the required day‐to‐day responsibilities in the blood field, which may range from basic level experience in haemotherapy, over specific knowledge of immunohaematology and clinical haemopathology, as needed for local blood bank management, up to the highest skill level required to direct a complex transfusion service and/or blood bank at an academic medical centre, transparent service quality requires defined minimum educational standards, which could then be adapted to fit specific national requirements. A long‐term objective might be to introduce the transfusion medicine specialisation into the above‐mentioned EC directives in order to guarantee quality and facilitate mutual recognition of transfusion medicine qualifications throughout Europe.

Transfusion medicine in American undergraduate medical education

Blood transfusion is the most common procedure performed in American hospitals, and transfusions are commonly ordered by physicians without formal training in transfusion medicine. Several transfusion medicine curricula have been proposed, including those developed through the Transfusion Medicine Academic Awards (TMAA). To our knowledge, no comprehensive study has assessed how transfusion medicine is incorporated into undergraduate medical education. We conducted an online survey to determine the manner in which transfusion medicine is incorporated into American undergraduate medical education. The survey was e-mailed to administrators of medical education at all of the 129 American medical schools accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Eighty-six (67%) of the 129 identified medical school administrators responded. Seventy-one (83%) of the 86 administrators reported that their undergraduate medical education curriculum provides didactic lectures in transfusion medicine, with 48% of medical schools providing 1 or 2 hours of lecture-based instruction. A minority reported small group sessions devoted to transfusion medicine topics. While a slim majority reported the availability of transfusion medicine electives, only one of 84 administrators reported that such a rotation is required. Seventy-six of 83 (92%) administrators were unfamiliar with either the 1989 or the 1995 TMAA transfusion medicine curricula. Transfusion medicine content in American undergraduate medical education is variable and the influence of the TMAA program on contemporary medical school curricula is questionable. Future efforts in this area should focus on standardizing and improving undergraduate medical education in transfusion medicine.

Transfusion medicine knowledge in Postgraduate Year 1 residents

Transfusion medicine is a complex important subspecialty of pathology. A transfusion carries measurable risks and benefits. Although fellowship training exists in transfusion medicine, the majority of transfusion decisions are made by clinicians without formal training. A total of 116 recently graduated medical students entering 10 residency programs at a single medical center over 2 years were evaluated using a standardized patient encounter to determine baseline knowledge. Transfusion medicine knowledge was assessed during the encounter by obtaining verbal consent for red blood cell transfusion, answering patient questions, and completing a written quiz. Final performance was scored using a peer-reviewed data collection sheet. Scores ranged from 24.0% to 67.1%. Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY-1) residents graduating from allopathic medical schools had higher scores than those from osteopathic schools (mean, 41.3% vs. 37.5%; p = 0.036). There was no significant difference between PGY-1 residents entering primary care versus surgical specialties (38.2% and 41.6%; p = 0.10). Although not significant, PGY-1 residents with previous transfusion medicine education demonstrated a trend toward better performance than those without prior education (47.0% vs. 43.0%; p = 0.057). A total of 17.2% of PGY-1's could define transfusion-related acute lung injury, 6.0% knew the transfusion transmission rate of human immunodeficiency virus, 5.2% knew the transfusion transmission rate of hepatitis C virus, and 0% knew the indication for blood product irradiation. Marked knowledge deficits in transfusion medicine were noted. If the results of this study could be reproduced at other training institutions, medical schools may be willing to donate more resources into transfusion medicine education.

Transfusion medicine education in medical school: only the first of successive steps to improving patient care

Transfusion medicine education in medical school: only the first of successive steps to improving patient care

Gestão do risco em medicina transfusional: modelos e ferramentas

Background and Objectives To achieve good risk management it is crucial to identify and analyse the root and trajectory of the problem, which, in turn, will lead to its proper evaluation, control and prevention. Good practice compliance, upgrading of professionals and implementation of a quality management system are milestones in the quality assurance. The proactive risk management comprises innovation and change by a functional point of view: predictive, measurable and that control the risk. This paper explains the implementation and maintenance of projects, methodologies and systems as well as education and training programmes in Transfusion Medicine. Material and Methods The tools employed in the risk management stands in the risk assessment and error communication followed by control and revision processes, making changes when necessary to improve performances and overall quality. Results Corrective and preventive actions to minimize the occurrence of errors are fundamental in attaining the main goal of Transfusion Medicine which is to provide adequate blood products within requirements of specifications to the patients who need them in the right context. Conclusion These considerations are widespread throughout clinical, laboratory and manufacturing practices and can help to recognize and solve problems whilst trying to reach a standard of excellence.

BLOOD DONORS AND BLOOD COLLECTION: Status of blood banking and the blood supply in Afghanistan

BACKGROUND: As a result of more than 20 years of war in Afghanistan, its blood supply system has been damaged. We carried out an assessment of that blood supply system to determine the type and extent of assistance needed to increase blood availability and safety.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An assessment tool was developed, daily activities in Afghanistan were observed, and key personnel were interviewed.RESULTS: Because there was no donor recruitment organization, most blood was obtained by the family replacement system. There was an inadequate supply of stored blood, which led to use of blood before screening test results for transfusion‐transmitted disease were complete. Whole blood was provided but blood components were not produced. Blood was tested intermittently for human immunodeficiency virus Types 1 and 2, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C virus, and syphilis using agglutination‐based screening methods.CONCLUSIONS: A dedicated staff is in place but to strengthen the blood supply system in Afghanistan, it will be important to address infrastructure and facilities, organization, standard operating methods, supplies and equipment, training, quality assurance, and transfusion medicine education.

Self-treatment of an ABO-incompatible blood transfusion

Unfortunately, transfusion errors continue to pose a major clinical problem. In practice there is a remarkable lack of understanding of the reasons behind transfusion medicine, a worrying disregard for protocol and an offhand attitude to bedside checking. Clearly transfusion medicine education, as often said, must be more extensively incorporated into the core curriculum of medical, nursing and laboratory staff. In this immunological case report, following accurate pre-transfusion procedures and routine laboratory testing, we highlight, once more, that it would be better for the patient to rely on proper bedside checking rather than on their own immune system in order to avoid serious side effects related to transfusions. Albeight this case we had “a happy ending”, we must always bear in mind that one cannot compromise on safety and the quality care of patients.

Transfusion medicine education session

The European Haematology Association annual meeting is the second largest conference organized specifically for hematologists. This meeting report gives an overview of one particular session within this meeting, that of the transfusion medicine subject speciality, which included two speakers from the USA and one from the UK. The following lectures will be reviewed here Jo-Ann Moulds – Transfusion policies and practices in alloimmunized sickle cell patients; Derwood Pamphilon – Transfusion problems in stem cell transplant patients; and Naomi Luban – Transfusion issues in neonatal and pediatric hematology. The session, therefore, included a significant discourse in clinical practice of transfusing the difficult to transfuse patient.

Filling a Gap in Transfusion Medicine Education and Research

After the outbreak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, attention was focused on the restructuring and reorganization of nationally supported safe and sustainable blood supply systems. Networking and human capacity building in transfusion medicine were developed through World Health Organization initiatives. Educational materials were created for the core elements of the blood transfusion chain. However, the management aspects of transfusion medicine as well as applied health science research in transfusion medicine were not addressed. In 2000, the World Health Organization initiated the creation of the Academic Institute for International Development of Transfusion Medicine (IDTM). This would focus on the development of a postgraduate master's course in management of transfusion medicine (MMTM) and the development of research programs for transfusion medicine-related health sciences. The Academic Institute IDTM was created at the University of Groningen Faculty of Medical Sciences, The Netherlands. The MMTM course was thus established, and since September 2007 fourteen fellows from economically restricted countries have entered the course.

EUROPEAN MEDICAL EDUCATION TO BLOOD SPARING: AN URGENT NEED TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF PATIENTS' CARE

Scientific aspects of Transfusion Medicine are often reported. Professional “transfer” of scientific knowledge, however, isn’t reaching all concerned specialists yet. In most European countries, little undergraduate education in Transfusion Medicine is given, few training curricula exist for specialisation in Transfusion Medicine, and in other medical specialities. The prevalent attitude of most clinicians is still an “expecting” one. It is however becoming accepted that clinical medicine, in order to provide patients with the safest possible blood, has more to give than to receive. ESTM activities are largely oriented towards the contribution of clinical medicine to blood safety. Out of 80 ESTM courses performed so far, 40 were dedicated to clinical transfusion practice! A “Cooperation Agreement” as “partner organisation” was signed in 2006 with New European Surgical Academy (NESA). The need for better understanding between clinical and transfusion specialists became evident after the analysis performed in 2002 at the ESTM meeting in Lecce and the conclusions of the 2003 course in Belgrade on “The contribution of clinical medicine to blood safety”. A previous course in 2002 in Lviv on “Blood-sparing medicine and surgery: the absolute need of safe autologous and homologous blood donation” focused on blood-sparing procedures, also discussed in Riga in 2004. Similar problems of reciprocal support had been dealt with in 2002 in Sofia at the course on “Basic clinical and organisational requirements for implementing an effective haemovigilance”, and increasingly debated during other ESTM courses (2002 Portoroz, 2003 Piacenza and Napoli, 2004 Barcelona). Adequate knowledge on clinical transfusion practice by all medical specialists is an absolute target. Education in quality management is a proper common way to overcome national differences in transfusion safety. Time has come to stimulate proper attention for all what concerns the clinical side of Transfusion Medicine, and particularly blood sparing. Pressure by Scientific Societies of relevant clinical disciplines could be of considerable help. A passionate appeal from any clinical Scientific Society to all other Societies, to collect specific information on postgraduate specialisations, could allow acquisition of knowledge on already existing situations, for further discussion on how to attain a better quality of patients’ care.

Book reviews

Clinical & Laboratory HaematologyVolume 15, Issue 4 p. 315-316 Book reviews First published: December 1993 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2257.1993.tb00154.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Book Reviewed in this artivcle: Teaching and Education in Transfusion Medicine Edited by U. Rossi & J. D. Cash. ABC of Transfusion, Second Edition Edited by Marcella Contreras Volume15, Issue4December 1993Pages 315-316 RelatedInformation

A proposal for curriculum content in transfusion medicine and blood banking education in pathology residency programs

T he fields of blood banking (BB) and transfusion medicine (TM), like other areas of medicine, have evolved into specialties with a diverse array of areas of knowledge. These areas include advances in the detection of pathogens in donated blood, advances in methods to collect and manipulate progenitor cells, advances in blood conservation techniques, and advances in treatments for both the acutely and the chronically ill patient, among many others. As a consequence, the knowledge base that a resident trainee in pathology is expected to master has expanded well beyond the mere understanding of compatibility testing and inventory management. In the past several years, guidance regarding pathology residency training has been published for clinical pathology and anatomic pathology, as well as in some subspecialty areas. Although intended for medical students, an NIH-funded transfusion medicine curriculum initiative also provided a comprehensive overview of areas of knowledge relevant to pathology resident training. A survey of TM fellowships was also performed with implications for residency training, as have recent commentaries regarding the role of physicians in blood centers and hospital transfusion services. There is no document that specifically addresses pathology residency training in BB and/or TM, however, and the current requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) on general competencies in residency training. Recently, the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS) and the members of the Children’s Health Initiative through Laboratory Diagnostics (CHILDx) separately produced comprehensive clinical pathology residency training documents of which BB and/or TM was a subsection. As a follow-up to the activities of ACLPS and the new requirements of the ACGME regarding general competencies, a task force was created by the AABB to address the needs for a residency curriculum on this subject. The rotation objectives outlined below for BB and TM were adapted from the subsection on BB and/or TM from the ACLPS document and further expanded. The task force further elaborated on these objectives by including additional guidance on the different needs of the general anatomic pathology– and clinical pathology–trained pathologist, who has either minimal or infrequent supervision of a transfusion service, compared with the specialist whose responsibilities might include directing a blood collection center, a cell therapeutics laboratory, or a high-complexity transfusion service. The task force further designated what each specific rotation ABBREVIATIONS: ACGME = Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; BB = blood banking; CAP = College of American Pathologists; FACT = Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy; IC = interpersonal and communication skills; JCAHO = Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; MK = medical knowledge; PC = patient care; PL = practice-based learning and improvement; PR = professionalism; SP = systems-based practice; TM = transfusion medicine.

Blood bank on‐call physician's experiences at a large university medical center

The responsibilities of the blood bank on-call physician (blood bank physician from here on) encompass many aspects of transfusion medicine and physician education. This physician is available 24 hours a day to address any issues concerning the collection and transfusion of blood and blood components. The purpose of this study was to identify and categorize the issues that may confront a blood bank physician. Each call received over a 4-month period was logged and the resolution documented. The calls were grouped into five categories: donor issues, therapeutic procedure issues, patient issues, physician education issues, and requests for blood components not meeting previously defined transfusion guidelines. The blood bank physician received 224 calls during the study period. To resolve each issue, an additional 1 to 14 telephone calls were needed to gather further information. Number of calls by category were donor issues, 20 (8.9%); therapeutic procedure issues, 9 (4.0%); patient issues, 4 (1.8%); physician education issues, 33 (14.7%); and requests for blood components not meeting previously defined transfusion guidelines, 158 (70.6%). Requests for blood components were denied in 39.8 percent of the cases not meeting guidelines. Other forms of therapy were warranted in 20.9 percent of the cases. This study revealed that 85.3 percent of the calls referred to the blood bank physician related to physician education and the appropriateness of blood component orders. These results emphasize the need for ongoing education of medical staff in transfusion medicine issues.

Criteria for Clinical Transfusion Practice:Teaching of Transfusion Medicine

SUMMARYDevelopments in blood transfusion over the last two decades have been wide reaching. The variety of blood components available allows for a much more specific approach to each patient's needs. Safety parameters have to be taken into consideration in making choices, therefore knowledge of the risks of transfusion as well as of the availability of transfusion alternatives, is necessary. In addition, considerations of blood sufficiency or lack thereof, demand the use of transfusion, only in cases with proven efficacy. All these issues, well known to transfusion medicine specialists, are not necessarily registered by clinicians, many of whom, even today, consider blood transfusion a routine, simple and safe therapeutic maneuver. The European Union has emphasized in recent years the need for adoption by the EU states of similar criteria in the various areas of blood collection and transfusion, it was therefore of interest to inquire into transfusion practices in EU states and this was undertaken by the network of transfusion societies, EuroNet‐TMS, with the help of a questionnaire. Analysis of the responses reveals persistent heterogeneity in some areas, although there is a tendency for convergence.

Training and education—with a view of the involvement in Germany

The replies of 15 countries to the questionnaires—training and education—have shown that transfusion medicine teaching and education regarded as a definitely clearly defined specialty with different tones and degrees, is to be considered at different levels relating to teaching basic knowledge of transfusion medicine during the education as well as in the postgraduate training. The reported results may serve as an incentive or impulse to suitable regulations and a common consensus of transfusion medicine curriculum although each European Country has its peculiarities.