COVID-19 Medical Day Stay: Red Cell Transfusions and Iron Infusions 25 Mar 2020

All non-essential red cell transfusions will be postponed indefinitely.

Red cell transfusions  

All non-essential red cell transfusions will be postponed indefinitely.

This is due to increased risk for patients coming in to the hospital environment for such treatments, potential reduced staffing for elective services as staff are reallocated to acute care to cover staff sick and self-isolation leave, and the possibility of reduced blood supplies during the pandemic.  

Transfusion decisions should be influenced by symptoms and haemoglobin concentration.  Restrictive thresholds will be enforced in the majority of cases.

• Hb <70g/l in otherwise stable patients
• Hb<80g/l in patients with significant ischaemic heart disease, dyspnoea or other compounding co-morbidity.

Haematinic deficiencies must have been excluded. No red cell transfusions for iron deficiency will be accepted without acute haemodynamic instability.  

Single unit red cell transfusions should be the standard for non-bleeding patients.  

If you believe your patient needs an out-patient red cell transfusion urgently please contact Dr Marie Hughes, Haematologist.  

Iron infusions  

All non-essential iron infusions will also be postponed indefinitely for the reasons given above.   If you believe your patient needs an iron infusion urgently please contact Dr Alex Lampen-Smith, Gastroenterologist and Head of Department of Gastroenterology.  

Kind regards,  

Dr Marie Hughes   
Haematologist
Tauranga Hospital
Marie.Hughes@bopdhb.govt.nz  
027 801 2124

Dr Alex Lampen-Smith
Gastroenterologist
Head of Department of Gastroenterology
Tauranga Hospital
alexlampensmith@bopdhb.govt.nz  
021 88 55 98