Decrease Blood Transfusions

Savings: $670,959

Blood transfusions are routine during many procedures but can be unnecessary and increase patients' risk of infection and recovery time. In May 2004, Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in Washington began reducing transfusions by using medication before surgery to increase blood supply and using equipment to reduce blood loss, among other measures. It reduced the rate of transfusions to 14% of total hip replacement surgeries this year, from 48% in 2002, and 5% of total knee replacement surgeries, from 59%.