Advancing Patient Safety: Baxter's Leadership in Patient Blood Management and Strategic Collaborations

As global surgical volumes rise and blood supply tightens, PBM has become a critical strategy for sustainable healthcare.^1,2

Baxter's longstanding collaboration with the Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management (SABM) has played a pivotal role in driving education, innovation, and clinical adoption of PBM principles, particularly in intraoperative hemostasis. 

Baxter's Commitment to Patient Blood Management 

PBM is professionally defined as "a patient-centered, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve patient outcomes by managing and preserving the patient’s own blood, while promoting patient safety and empowerment."¹ Baxter has embraced this philosophy, embedding it into its surgical solutions and clinician education programs. The risks of transfusion, ranging from fatal reactions to immune modulation and increased infection rates, underscore the urgency of PBM.³ With transfusions costing over $1,200 per unit and up to 50% deemed unnecessary, the U.S. faces an annual burden of $8.4 billion, excluding complications.² 

Recognizing these challenges, Baxter has prioritized PBM as a strategic imperative, aligning its innovations and training with the goal of reducing transfusion reliance and improving surgical outcomes. 

Strategic Collaboration: Baxter and SABM 

Since SABM's founding in 2001 and rebranding in 2021, the organization has championed PBM as a global standard.² Baxter's partnership with SABM has amplified this mission, with Baxter contributing with clinical expertise, sponsorships, and educational resources that extend SABM's reach. Baxter perioperative specialists actively participate in SABM as members and educators, sharing best practices in blood conservation.  

This collaboration has been especially impactful during critical moments, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when blood conservation became urgent^.3,4 Baxter's support of SABM's initiatives — including annual conferences, has helped scale PBM education across disciplines.²

Leading in Intraoperative Hemostasis Education 

A cornerstone of Baxter's PBM strategy is its leadership in intraoperative hemostasis. Through SABM's multidisciplinary programs, Baxter delivered advanced training on hemostatic techniques, empowering surgical teams to intervene early and effectively. As Medical Director Rory Tippit notes, "Our collaboration with SABM has been instrumental in translating PBM from concept to clinic, equipping surgeons with tools and knowledge to manage intraoperative challenges proactively." 

Innovation in Assessment: The VIBe Scale 

The Validated Intraoperative Bleeding (VIBe) Scale marks a breakthrough in surgical bleeding assessment. It enables objective grading of bleeding severity based on visual obstruction, anatomy, descriptors, and estimated blood loss. The scale also fulfills the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration for a clinician-reported scale.^5,6

Published in 2017 and validated across specialties including cardiothoracic and spine surgery, the VIBe Scale addresses the long-standing challenge of subjective bleeding assessments. ^{7,8,9,10,11,12}

By standardizing bleeding assessments, the VIBe Scale supports earlier intervention that could potentially reduce transfusion rates, core tenets of PBM.  

Innovating Hemostats for Surgical Precision 

Baxter's R&D pipeline delivers cutting-edge hemostatic solutions tailored to diverse bleeding scenarios. These agents often achieve hemostasis quickly, supporting efficient and safe surgeries.^13,14,15 

Shaping the Future of PBM 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has made Patient Blood Management a priority: unnecessary and unsafe transfusions expose patients to adverse reactions, infectious risks, and use up limited blood resources.¹⁶ By championing education, validating tools like the VIBe Scale, and delivering innovative hemostatic solutions, Baxter is helping make PBM the global standard, reducing risks, costs, and resource strain while empowering clinicians. 

As SABM's Patient Blood Management Awareness Week marks November 3 to 7, 2025, Baxter invites the surgical community to embrace PBM strategies that lead to safer surgeries and better outcomes.²  

Together, we're building a resilient healthcare system for the future.