Omaha, Neb.— Creighton University Medical Center’s “Center for Blood Conservation” is now one of 12 accredited blood conservation programs in the United States.

The Association for Blood Conservation accredited CUMC in December 2007 after surveyors visited November 25-26.

“This accreditation formalizes what we already knew to be true- that our program is specially designed to provide state-of-the-art transfusion-free care, “said Mark Eldredge, Manager of CUMC’s Center for Blood Conservation, “Our patients have come to rely on CUMC for this special service.”

The Association for Blood Conservation (ABC) is the primary formal resource for developing and implementing blood conservation programs.  Surveyors assessed and evaluated the program’s performance and compliance with ABC standards.

In a written statement the Association said, “Strong leadership by both Mark (Eldredge) and Dr. Sugimoto was very apparent, as well as inclusion of a strong, educated and committed team of healthcare professionals from all the necessary ancillary and medical departments.” 

Blood conservation is a way to provide patients the ability to avoid blood transfusions through evidence-based healthcare and techniques.  The hospital’s blood conservation program was initially launched to meet the needs of those who require transfusion-free surgery due to religious beliefs.  The program has now grown to accommodate anyone who wants transfusion-free care as a safety precaution.