Modelling the outcomes of different red blood cell transfusion strategies for the treatment of traumatic haemorrhage in the prehospital setting in the United Kingdom.

Background And Objectives: The limited supply and increasing demand of group O RhD-negative red blood cells (RBCs) have resulted in other transfusion strategies being explored by blood services that carry potential risks but may still provide an overall benefit to patients. Our aim was to analyse the potential economic benefits of prehospital transfusion (PHT) against no PHT.

Materials And Methods: The impact of three PHT strategies (RhD-negative RBC, RhD-positive RBC and no transfusion) on quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs) of all United Kingdom trauma patients in a given year and the subset of patients considered most at risk (RhD-negative females <50 years old), was modelled.

Impact of a telephone-first consultation system in general practice.

Purpose Of The Study: Increasing pressure on general practice prompts innovative change in service organisation. This study sought to evaluate the impact of introducing a telephone-first consultation system in a socioeconomically deprived population.

Study Design: An interrupted time series of preplanned outcomes for 2 years before and 1 year postintroduction of a telephone-first system was used to measure the volume and type of general practitioner (GP) consultations and the number of patients consulted per year.