Thomson, J.Hofmann, A.Barrett, C.A.Beeton, A.Bellairs, G.R.M.Boretti, L.Coetzee, M.J.Farmer, S.Gibbs, M.W.Gombotz, H.H.Hilton, C.Kassianides, C.Louw, V.J.Lundgren, C.Mahlangu, J.N.Noel, C.B.Rambiritch, V.Schneider, F.Verburgh, E.Wessels, P.-L.Wessels, Pieter FrederikWise, R.Shander, A.2020-05-282020-05-282019-07Thomson, J., Hofmann, A., Barrett, C.A. et al, 2019, 'Patient blood management : a solution for South Africa', South African Medical Journal, vol 109, no.7, pp. 471-476.2078-5135 (online)0256-9574 (print)10.7196/SAMJ.2019.v109i7.13859http://hdl.handle.net/2263/74775For more than 70 years the default therapy for anaemia and blood loss was mostly transfusion. Accumulating evidence demonstrates a significant dose-dependent relationship between transfusion and adverse outcomes. This and other transfusion-related challenges led the way to a new paradigm. Patient blood management (PBM) is the application of evidence-based practices to optimise patient outcomes by managing and preserving the patient’s own blood. ‘Real-world’ studies have shown that PBM improves patient outcomes and saves money. The prevalence of anaemia in adult South Africans is 31% in females and 17% in males. Improving the management of anaemia will firstly improve public health, secondly relieve the pressure on the blood supply, and thirdly improve the productivity of the nation’s workforce. While high-income countries are increasingly implementing PBM, many middle- and low-income countries are still trying to upscale their transfusion services. The implementation of PBM will improve South Africa’s health status while saving costs.en© 2019, South African Medical Association. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Works License (CC BY-NC 3.0).AnemiaBlood loss, surgicalBlood transfusionDeveloped countriesEvidence-based medicinePatient safetyStandard of careProgram developmentPatient blood management (PBM)South Africa (SA)Article