New Patient Blood Management Program Implementation and Assessment Tool (PIAT) Launched to Improve Compliance with Global Guidelines

Perth, Western Australia – In response to the urgent call from the World Health Organization (WHO) for all Member States to implement Patient Blood Management (PBM) as a standard of care, a team of international experts has developed a groundbreaking tool to measure and enhance compliance with PBM guidelines. The Patient Blood Management Program Implementation and Assessment Tool (PIAT), piloted in Western Australia, aims to improve patient outcomes, reduce health care costs, and ensure sustainable health care practices.

Developed by a multidisciplinary team led by Professor Shannon L. Farmer of The University of Western Australia, in collaboration with the International Foundation for Patient Blood Management (IFPBM) and the Western Australia PBM Group (WAPBM), the PIAT provides a comprehensive framework for health service organizations (HSOs) to plan, implement, and assess PBM programs. The tool is designed to address the cultural and structural barriers that have historically hindered the adoption of PBM practices. 

Professor Farmer states: “The PIAT is a vital step toward making PBM the standard of care globally. By providing a clear framework for implementation and assessment, we can ensure that health care systems are equipped to deliver better outcomes for patients while reducing costs.”

A Game-Changer for Health Care
The PIAT is a structured, evidence-based tool that enables HSOs to:

1. Conduct gap analyses of current PBM practices.
2. Identify essential elements for successful PBM program implementation.
3. Monitor progress and assess the maturity of PBM programs.
4. Benchmark performance against best practices.
5. Ensure long-term sustainability of PBM initiatives.

The tool is organized into three sections—Structure, Process, and Outcomes Reporting—based on the Donabedian model for health care quality assessment. It also incorporates the Kotter Model for Change Management to address cultural and behavioural barriers to PBM implementation.

Pilot Results and Impact
The PIAT was piloted in four major tertiary-care hospitals in Perth, Western Australia, where a comprehensive PBM program was previously implemented. The results confirmed what was antidotally suspected, that key elements of the program had lapsed over time, correlating with an increase in blood component usage. The PIAT successfully identified these gaps, providing actionable insights for hospitals to reinstate and strengthen their PBM initiatives. Some of the key findings were:

• The PIAT confirmed that executive leadership, dedicated resources, and continuous education are critical to the success of PBM programs.
• The PIAT was fit for purpose in assessing program implementation in the surgical, medical, and obstetrics specialties. 
• The results represented an accurate reflection of PBM program implementation in the pilot sites. 
• The tool’s weighted scoring system and maturity levels provide a clear roadmap for hospitals to assess implementation progress, areas for improvement, and benchmarking, both internally and externally. 
• The PIAT may form the basis for PBM program accreditation. 

Global Implications
The PIAT is not only relevant to high-income countries but also holds promise for middle and low-income countries, where the need for efficient patient blood management is even more pressing. The tool’s adaptable framework can be tailored to suit the resources and needs of diverse health care systems worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.anesthesia-analgesia.org or contact Professor Shannon L. Farmer at [email protected]