Congressman Rothman secures 1.49M in federal dollars for EHMC's bloodless medicine program

Jan 30 2010

Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ) will be the featured speaker at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center today, 1:00-2:00 pm. Congressman Rothman will announce the latest batch of federal funds, $1.49 million, for the Institute for Patient Blood Management and Bloodless Medicine and Surgery. This brings the total amount of federal funding secured by Congressman Rothman for this institute to $4.69 million in federal resources and to over six million dollars to Hospital programs since 2002. This project will provide instruction and training for military and civilian physicians and other healthcare providers seeking to implement improved patient blood management strategies. The program, run through the U.S. Army/Medical Research & Materiel Command (USAMRC), will be particularly useful during conflicts or natural disaster when blood is often limited or unavailable. Project participants are not only taught procedures in blood management, but also receive training in how to teach blood management strategies and use available resources as well as how to collect data. This will prepare participants to manage and lead their own blood management efforts.

"I am very happy to deliver this latest batch of federal funds from Washington, DC, $1.49 million, to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center (EHMC). This now brings the total for the Hospital's bloodless medicine program to $4.69 million and for all EHMC programs I was able to secure over six million in federal dollars that I have brought home since 2002. These resources were appropriated for the hospital's breast care center, emergency room, radiology information system, and the Institute for the Advancement of Bloodless Medicine. Englewood Hospital does such important work and I look forward to continuing to help," said Congressman Rothman.

"Receiving this funding is an honor for Englewood Hospital and a confirmation of our status as a world leader in the practice of bloodless medicine and surgery. For a community hospital to receive this recognition is a remarkable achievement," said Douglas A. Duchak, President and CEO of the Medical Center. "I thank Congressman Steve Rothman for securing these much needed funds – without his support this program would not be possible. Congressman Rothman has taken strong leadership on this issue and throughout his career. The people of the Ninth Congressional District and Englewood Hospital could not ask for a better representative in Washington, DC."

Aryeh Shander, MD, Chief of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, Pain Management and Hyperbaric Medicine at Englewood Hospital and Executive Medical Director of its Institute for Patient Blood Management and Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, who will also speak at today's event, explained the rationale that's driving the project. "While there are clear situations where blood transfusions are necessary, there are many reasons why unneeded transfusions are risky and should be avoided," he notes.

Risks of blood transfusion include infectious and noninfectious complications. In addition, ample data suggests that transfusions are also associated with increased mortality. Also, the cost of blood transfusion continues to rise due to increased testing for infectious agents. In combat situations and other disasters, blood often is not available or in short supply, underscoring the need for blood management.

In partnership with the DOD, Englewood Hospital's Institute for Patient Blood Management and Bloodless Medicine and Surgery will work to achieve the following outcomes:

• After a five-year period, a series of DOD medical providers will be proficient in patient blood management, taking a leadership position in developing PBM programs through the military and within military and civilian hospitals.
• As a result of the model project and programs that follow it, inappropriate use of allogeneic blood products as well as transfusion-related morbidity and mortality will be reduced. It is anticipated that the DOD and its hospitals will also experience significant monetary savings from the effective use of patient blood management techniques.
• Through the project, a database of current data on blood management and outcomes will be developed. These data may serve as the basis for further interventions and as benchmarks of the project's efficacy.