The University of Western Australia is this week hosting a team of international experts in the field of blood management and health to develop a blueprint for international implementation of a pioneering Patient Blood Management (PBM) treatment developed in Western Australia.

“Now a ‘new standard of care’, it is achieved through managing and preserving the patient’s own blood and iron stores rather than resorting to use of blood transfusions. This is now recognised as world best practice, with other countries following WA’s lead."

Professor Jeff Hamdorf,  UWA Medical School

Professor Jeff Hamdorf from the UWA Medical School says the world-first patient-focused approach to managing anaemia and bleeding has significantly improved patient outcomes and resulted in an estimated $80-100 million in blood-related cost savings. 

“Now a ‘new standard of care’, it is achieved through managing and preserving the patient’s own blood and iron stores rather than resorting to use of blood transfusions,” Professor Hamdorf said. “This is now recognised as world best practice, with other countries following WA’s lead." 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for urgent worldwide implementation of the initiative with the aim of improved population health status and individual patient outcomes while reducing overall health care expenditure. 

The WHO External Steering Committee for PBM Implementation, along with The International Foundation for Patient Blood Management and the Western Australian Patient Blood Management Group, were invited by WHO to host an international group to develop the blueprint.  

“The first of two week-long WHO Worldwide Patient Blood Management Implementation Guide Development Workshops at UWA is being attended by 30 local, national and international key opinion leaders in blood management and health,” Professor Hamdorf said.

“Some of the international experts attending include Professor Axel Hofmann, Professor James Isbister, and Dr Irwin Gross from the International Foundation for Patient Blood Management, based in Switzerland as well as experts from South Africa, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, the United States and across Australia. 

“The location of the workshop is evidence of the important role WA plays in ensuring world health and the outcome will be seven modules of a WHO Guidance for PBM Implementation with the application of the modules expectation to save, or improve the health of millions of lives globally, while saving billions of healthcare dollars.”