SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Hospitalists' Perceptions of Clinical Indications for Red Blood Cell Transfusion

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This cross-sectional study surveyed hospital medicine providers at the University of Chicago to identify which factors hospitalists prioritize when deciding on red blood cell (RBC) transfusion for hospitalized patients with anemia, and to assess their views on current transfusion practice. The study included attendings, fellows, and advanced practice providers involved in transfusion decisions; non-clinicians were excluded. A total of 61 of 68 providers responded (90% completion). The survey was developed through clinical team discussion and literature review, then refined with section-meeting feedback. It assessed 30 factors across clinical, institutional, and external domains using a 3-point Likert scale, and also measured clinician attitudes toward restrictive transfusion practice using a 5-point Likert scale. Data were collected in June–July 2023 via paper surveys and REDCap, and analyzed descriptively.<br /><br />Key findings showed that although 84% of providers believed anemia can have significant adverse consequences, only 44% rated the risks of untreated anemia as “very important.” Most providers (95%) said they consider the patient’s overall clinical context beyond hemoglobin level, yet 68% also agreed that restrictive transfusion is optimal for all stable hospitalized patients. No single factor uniformly drove transfusion decisions. Only seven factors were rated “very important” by a majority of respondents, and five of the top ten factors were hemoglobin-related. By contrast, traditional guideline factors such as age, respiratory rate, exercise tolerance, and functional capacity ranked near the bottom. External considerations like financial cost and resource availability were among the least important factors. Overall, the study suggests that hospitalists still prioritize hemoglobin-related cues, while broader clinical and institutional factors play a smaller role in transfusion decision-making.

Asset Subtitle

Aishwarya Katiki

Meta Tag

Author List Aishwarya Katiki, David O. Meltzer, Micah T. Prochaska, Ryan Boudreau, Selwyn Rogers

Category Research

Concept Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusion

Concept Anemia

Concept Hospitalist

Concept Transfusion Decision Support

Concept Hemoglobin Threshold

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago

Presenting Author Aishwarya Katiki

Track Other

Keywords

red blood cell transfusion

hospital medicine

hospitalists

anemia

transfusion decision-making

restrictive transfusion

hemoglobin

cross-sectional study

clinical factors

University of Chicago

Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusion

Anemia

Hospitalist

Transfusion Decision Support

Hemoglobin Threshold