MASSIVE TRANSFUSION PROTOCOL: STANDARDIZING CARE TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES.

Providing rapid response is a primary goal when caring for surgical patients with injuries involving massive blood loss. Massive transfusion protocols have been developed in some tertiary care health care facilities to ensure a rapid and efficient response in the provision of care to patients with a massive and uncontrolled hemorrhage. The purpose of this article is to discuss a massive transfusion protocol and to describe the process used to implement a massive transfusion protocol at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre (the site) as well as to describe its impact in the operating room department.