Pembroke Regional Hospital is celebrating a meaningful milestone after being officially recognized as a Using Blood Wisely Hospital, a national designation awarded by Choosing Wisely Canada in partnership with Canadian Blood Services.

 

The Using Blood Wisely Hospital designation shows that our hospital is committed to using blood responsibly and making sure that our patients only receive blood transfusions when they truly need them. In achieving this designation, PRH is now part of a select group of 190 hospitals that is making a difference for patients, donors and Canada’s blood supply.

 

“We are incredibly proud of our teams for earning this national recognition,” said Beth Brownlee, Vice-President of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive. “Choosing blood wisely means making careful, clinically driven decisions about when blood is truly needed. This principle ensures that patients receive the right care at the right time, while respecting blood as a precious and limited resource made possible by donors in our community, so it is available for those who need it most.”

 

To receive the designation, hospitals must not only meet or exceed national benchmarks, but also maintain those standards which include:

 

• Giving one unit of blood at a time whenever possible, then reassessing the patient before deciding if more is needed. This careful, step‑by‑step approach is used in at least 65% of transfusions.

 

• In 80% of cases, stable patients are safely managed without a transfusion because their blood levels are above the recommended transfusion threshold.

 

These practices ensure that patients receive only what they need while helping preserve blood for emergencies and for those facing critical illness.

 

Dr. Kathy Reducka, Chair of the hospital’s Medical Quality Improvement Committee, shared that the initiative was launched through this committee under the leadership of Dr. Amanda Williamson and has since become a shared source of pride across the organization. “Our teams have truly embraced evidence‑based transfusion practices, and this designation is a testament to their dedication,” she said, adding that the hospital’s success is grounded in both collaboration and a strong culture of quality improvement.

 

A key part of that collaboration has been PRH’s ongoing partnership with the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA). Their expertise and support have strengthened PRH’s ability to meet national benchmarks and maintain safe, responsible transfusion practices.

 

“We’re extremely proud to support PRH in achieving this designation,” said Al Lupish, Laboratory Operations Manager for Pembroke and Deep River Hospitals. “Our partnership is built on shared

goals - improving patient safety, stewarding resources responsibly, and ensuring high‑quality Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine services.”

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Carolyn Levesque, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator

Pembroke Regional Hospital

(613) 732-3675, extension 6165 / carolyn.levesque@prh.ca