Trigger Factors in Transfusion Medicine

I. Demand and Supply.- Customer-oriented Quality Systems in Transfusion.- Communication Mechanisms Between the Bedside and the Blood Bank.- Informed Consent for Transfusion Recipients: How much is enough?.- Factors That Influence the Demand for Transfusion.- The Process of Clinical Decision making in Blood Transfusion.- Discussion.- II. Product Qualities and Characteristics.- Factors defining the clinical needs for supportive haemotherapy.- Factors Effecting the Clinical Efficacy of Blood Transfusion.- The Clinical Relevance and Biological Effects of Leukocytes Present in Cellular Blood Components.- Platelets: What Qualities and Characteristics Do Justify the Need for Transfusion?.- The Clinical Relevance of Clotting Factor Characteristics.- Discussion.- III. Transfusion Policies and Clinical Pratice.- Fears, Facts and Formulas About Blood Transfusion: On the Perception, Acceptance and Communication of Risks.- Surgical Criteria for Blood Transfusion: How Far Should We Go?.- Transfusion Policies and Clinical Practice in a Tertiary Academic Medical Centre: The Role of Protocols and Documentation.- Choice of Transfusing Single Donor Apheresis vs Random Pooled Platelets — Its Costs.- Ethical Aspects of the Transfusion of Blood.- What Triggers the Initiative of Developments in Transfusion Medicine: Advances in Ex Vivo Haematopoietic Cell Therapy and Next Generation Transfusion Products.- Discussion.- IV. Evaluation and Feed-Back of Transfusion Policies.- Evaluation of Bedside Transfusion Practice: Benefits vs Risks.- The Clinical Consultative Role of the Blood Bank in Transfusion Medicine.- Audits in Transfusion Medicine: A Trigger Mechanism to Optimise Clinical Practice.- Legislative and Regulative Impact on Transfusion Medicine Practices.- Discussion.