Host: Lee Freedman, MD

Guest: Patricia Ford, MD

Patients may choose bloodless medicine for either medical or ethical reasons. How safe and effective are bloodless procedures, compared to more traditional approaches? Dr. Patricia Ford, clinical associate professor of medicine, medical director of the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery and director of the peripheral stem cell program at Penn Medicine, says that while bloodless medicine began as a way to meet the medical needs of Jehovah's Witnesses patients, the science also has broader implications. As many as 30% of blood transfusions may be unnecessary. What alternatives and strategies can healthcare providers use to ensure best patient blood management, and perhaps reduce the need for blood transfusions? Furthermore, what are the specific implications of bloodless medicine for stem cell transplants in particular? Dr. Lee Freedman hosts.

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