Adherence to transfusion guidelines: are we prepared for the Smarter Medicine or Choosing Wisely initiative?

Objective: To determine, whether a restrictive transfusion strategy is followed in our hospital and to identify differences in activities within departments and patient groups.

Method: Over a period of 15 months, RBC transfusions were prospectively recorded including the haemoglobin level prior to transfusion and were grouped in the different departments of our hospital (internal medicine ward, department of surgery, emergency room, intensive care unit, gynaecology ward, medical outpatient clinic and oncology outpatient clinic). Indications and co-morbidities were assessed retrospectively by reviewing the patient's charts.