Transfusion medicine reviews
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Quality patient care entails more than simply biomedical interventions. Respect for the wishes, values, and preferences of patients are important elements of quality care. ⋯ This article reviews the Witness position on medical care, blood components, and fractions, placing these and related interventions into categories that may help physicians to individualize clinical management plans and meet the challenge of caring for patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses. It includes an overview of cost, safety, efficacy, and medicolegal issues related to patient care using transfusion-alternative strategies.