• J Thomson, A Hofmann, C A Barrett, A Beeton, G R M Bellairs, L Boretti, M J Coetzee, S Farmer, M W Gibbs, H H Gombotz, C Hilton, C Kassianides, V J Louw, C Lundgren, J N Mahlangu, C B Noel, V Rambiritch, F Schneider, E Verburgh, P-L Wessels, P Wessels, R Wise, and A Shander On Behalf Of The South African Patient Blood Management Group.
• South African National Blood Service, Johannesburg, South Africa. jackie.thomson@sanbs.org.za.
• S. Afr. Med. J. 2019 Jun 28; 109 (7): 471476471-476.

AbstractFor more than 70 years the default therapy for anaemia and blood loss was mostly transfusion. Accumulating evidence demonstrates a significant dose-dependent relationship between transfusion and adverse outcomes. This and other transfusion-related challenges led the way to a new paradigm. Patient blood management (PBM) is the application of evidence-based practices to optimise patient outcomes by managing and preserving the patient's own blood. 'Real-world' studies have shown that PBM improves patient outcomes and saves money. The prevalence of anaemia in adult South Africans is 31% in females and 17% in males. Improving the management of anaemia will firstly improve public health, secondly relieve the pressure on the blood supply, and thirdly improve the productivity of the nation's workforce. While high-income countries are increasingly implementing PBM, many middle- and low-income countries are still trying to upscale their transfusion services. The implementation of PBM will improve South Africa's health status while saving costs.

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