MedStar Georgetown First in the Nation Recognized for Excellence in Blood Management

Washington, D.C., March 30, 2017 -  MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is proud to become the first hospital in the United States to receive a prestigious distinction in recognition of excellence in patient blood management.

In a ceremony today at MedStar Georgetown, The Joint Commission and the AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) presented hospital representatives with the first Patient Blood Management Certification.

The certification provides a third party review and evaluation of patient blood management based on the AABB Standards for a Patient Blood Management Program, and an evidence-based approach to providing the best care to patients who might need transfusions. The Joint Commission is a national organization that accredits and certifies more than 21-thousand healthcare institutions and programs, nationwide.

“We at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital are very proud to be the first center in the nation to receive this important certification in Patient Blood Management from The Joint Commission and AABB, says Michael C. Sachtleben, president, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. “This distinction is a testament to the hard work of our associates who promote patient safety through a comprehensive blood management program that uses internationally accepted systems and techniques. Our patients benefit from this innovative certification that recognizes our commitment to continuously improve our processes and procedures when it comes to patient-centered blood management and services. We thank the Joint Commission and the AABB for this program that will benefit patients nationwide.”

“We are proud to accept this distinction on behalf of our multi-disciplinary teams who work to promote quality care and patient safety through the use of practices that reduce risk by decreasing unnecessary transfusions, and improve patient outcomes,” says Lisa Boyle, MD, vice president of Medical Affairs at MedStar Georgetown. "This designation from The Joint Commission and the AABB demonstrates that our program has been evaluated to nationally recognized standards to benefit our patients."

One particular aspect of blood management at MedStar Georgetown is a Bloodless Medicine Program which is designed to eliminate blood transfusions altogether through the use of state of the art technologies that minimize blood loss and maximize the oxygen-carrying capabilities of blood during surgery and other medical treatments.
“Whether for religious or other reasons, our Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program is state-of-the-art medical and surgical treatment without the use of blood transfusion,” says Mike Hofmann, coordinator, MedStar Georgetown’s Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program. “Evidence from the treatment of this patient population has shown that bloodless medicine and surgery provides safe and effective alternatives to blood transfusion and holds the promise of a higher standard of care for all.”

The Patient Blood Management Certification is valid for two years.