Frequently Asked Questions
- If I request medical or surgical care without the use of blood transfusions, will my wishes be honored?
- Do I need to carry my own Advance Directive or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare?
- What if I will only accept blood as a life-saving measure in an emergency?
- What is Erythropoietin/EPO and why is it prescribed?
- What is Apheresis?
- What is Albumin?
- What is FFP?
- Is a cooperative surgeon enough?
- Are blood substitutes currently available in the United States?
- Understanding the benefits and limitations of non-blood volume expanders
- Is a minor blood fraction a small amount of blood?
- What is an epidural blood patch?
- Rh o(D) Immune Globulin - Your questions answered
- How can hyperbaric oxygen therapy benefit the bloodless patient?
- How do I prepare nutritionally for upcoming surgery?
- What are non-blood volume expanders?
- What is hemin? How is it used?
- Organ transplantation without blood
- How does intraoperative blood salvage work?
- Am I anemic?
If I request medical or surgical care without the use of blood transfusions, will my wishes be honored?
Allegheny General Hospital has a long-standing reputation as a center of excellence for treating patients who, for religious or other reasons, request care without the use of blood transfusions. During your stay you may request that a hospital representative review the Allegheny Health Network-specific advance medical directive for bloodless medicine with you, and assist you in clearly documenting your wishes.
Do I need to carry my own Advance Directive or Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare?
Yes. Every adult* should give serious thought to having and maintaining this important document. Establishing advance directives regarding future healthcare decisions can ensure that your wishes are met and can also relieve your family members of the stress of having to make difficult decisions for you.
Always carry a copy of your personal DPA/Advance Directive with you, and make sure that your "attorney in fact" also has a copy. This is especially important if you are not able to make your wishes known when you enter a hospital. Your Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare is about more than whether or not you will accept a blood transfusion.
Individuals who are Jehovah's Witnesses can obtain a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare form from their local congregation.
*Pennsylvania code, Act 169, stipulates that in order to execute a health-care power of attorney, an individual must be at least 18 years of age, or be married, or a high school graduate, or an emancipated minor.
What if I will only accept blood as a life-saving measure in an emergency?
Patients who are willing to accept a blood transfusion only if physicians deem it necessary to preserve their life or health should NOT enroll in the AGH Center for Bloodless Medicine program. They should instead inform their doctors of their wishes and talk over any concerns they may have about accepting blood or blood products.
-
Appointments
Bloodless Medicine