Fourth Edition of Standards for a Patient Blood Management Program Take Effect July 1

The fourth edition of Standards for a Patient Blood Management (PBM) Program will take effect July 1 and includes several changes and additions. AABB’s PBM Standards Committee highlighted the following updates:

• Item #24 in the activity table requires that there be care for patients undergoing cardiac surgery or structural heart procedures in activity level 1.
• New Standard 1.5.1 requires that PBM programs have operational continuity plans in place to address potential and actual inventory shortages.
• New Standard 2.1.3.1 requires that PBM programs take corrective action when employee competence has not been demonstrated.
• Standard 5.1.1 added a new standard requiring that individuals with heavy bleeding potential are evaluated and managed appropriately.

The fourth edition is available in the AABB Store in an electronic format, print format, or as a bundle of both versions. A bundle of the fourth edition (in print) and the Guidance for Standards for a Patient Blood Management Program is also available. Organizations interested in adopting the Standards can participate in a complimentary two-week trial of the electronic version of the fourth edition in the Standards Portal.

For those implementing the fourth edition, the PBM Standards Committee has created a document titled “Significant Changes and Response to Comments Received to the Fourth Edition of Standards for a Patient Blood Management Program.”

Individuals with questions regarding the Standards should contact standards@aabb.org.