SABM Position: Patient Blood Management During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic

Many of us are hearing of potential shortages of blood components and the call from blood centers for volunteers to donate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Society for the Advancement of Blood Management recognizes the altruistic spirit and commitment to community that voluntary blood donors exhibit. Surprising to most people, though, is that after both natural and man-made disasters the use of transfused blood either stays the same or even declines.

Today, with the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, and as we would expect, the blood supply is dwindling as donors stay away and existing donated blood expires. However, calls from blood centers for more blood donors will not alleviate this problem, and unless we open ourselves to better solutions, we are bound for disaster.

SABM has developed the position statement which is available at the link below.

TO DOWNLOAD A PDF VERSION OF THE POSITION STATEMENT PLEASE CLICK HERE

SABM announces a new resource article on PBM in a Pandemic

SABM and IFPBM have led the effort to create a global coalition of clinical leaders in Patient Blood Management to write and publish the article "The Essential Role of Patient Blood Management in a Pandemic: A Call for Action".  The important piece will be published in the July 2020 issue of the Anesthesia & Analgesia journal.

To access the full article please CLICK HERE

The abstract of the article is below:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a pandemic. Global health care now faces unprecedented challenges with widespread and rapid human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and high morbidity and mortality with COVID-19 worldwide. Across the world, the medical care is hampered by a critical shortage of not only hand sanitizers, personal protective equipment, ventilators and hospital beds, but also impediments to the blood supply. Blood donation centers in many areas around the globe have mostly closed. Donors, practicing social distancing, some either with illness or undergoing self-quarantine, are quickly diminishing. Drastic public health initiatives have focused on containment and “flattening the curve” while invaluable resources are being depleted. In some countries, the point is reached at which demand for such resources, including donor blood outstrips supply. Questions as to the safety of blood persist. Although it does not appear very likely that the virus can be transmitted through allogeneic blood transfusion, this still remains to be fully determined. As options dwindle, we must enact regional and national shortage plans worldwide, and more vitally disseminate the knowledge of and immediately implement Patient Blood Management (PBM). PBM is an evidence-based bundle of care to optimize medical and surgical patient outcomes by clinically managing and preserving a patient’s own blood. This multinational and diverse group of authors issue this “Call to Action” underscoring “The Essential Role of Patient Blood Management in the Management of Pandemics” and urging all stakeholders and providers to implement the practical and common-sense principles of PBM and its multi-professional and multimodality approaches.

SABM 2020 Annual Meeting - Call for Abstracts

The Society for the Advancement of Blood Management (SABM) invites members and non-members to submit abstracts related to the field of Patient Blood Management. Accepted abstracts will be published in the SABM Supplement of Anesthesia & Analgesia and will be presented at the SABM 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Abstract Submission Deadline: June 8, 2020

The top three abstracts will be selected for oral presentation and given an award.

Abstract categories

1. Clinical Research
   1. Anemia Detection/Treatment/Management
   2. Coagulation Issues/Management
   3. Blood Conservation Modalities/Devices/Techniques
2. Quality and Safety
   1. Patient Blood Management Outcomes
   2. Morbidity and Mortality
   3. Patient Experience/Patient Centered Care
3. Medical Economics and Regulatory/Advocacy
4. Case Series/Report - Only those that have a significant novel approach will be considered.
5. Basic Science
6. Additional

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT your abstract by June 8, 2020. Please note that you will be required to create a user account. Once the account is set up, you will then click on the link that reads "Submit Your Abstract Now".

SABM 2020 Annual Meeting

Hitting the Jackpot: Everyone Wins with Patient Blood Management!

SAVE THE DATE!

September 10-12, 2020 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV. 

The SABM PBM Certificate Course will be offered on September 9, 2020.

March 24, 2020 update

SABM is taking all developments concerning the coronavirus disease very seriously. At this time, there are no plans to postpone or cancel the SABM 2020 Annual Meeting which takes place on September 9-12, 2020 at Caesar’s in Las Vegas. For the full update CLICK HERE