Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

A need for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) specialist centers - providing better outcomes

7^th World Hematologists Congress

May 08-09, 2017 Barcelona, Spain

Tina Dutt

Royal Liverpool University Hospital, UK

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Blood Disord Transfus

Abstract:

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is heralded by its demanding presentation and impending mortality. The complex and life-threatening characteristics of TTP justify the need for early referral and responsive management in centers with comprehensive multi-disciplinary resources. In an era where compromise of patient safety or experience is unsatisfactory, the provision of specialist-led, organized care for this patient group remains overdue. Patients and clinical teams continue to lack the knowledge, support and resources required to achieve consistently high levels of clinical care. This forms the rationale for development of TTP Specialist Centers. Following an internal review the existing governance framework for managing patients at a tertiary referral hospital, it was confirmed that patients with suspected TTP were experiencing significant delays in diagnosis and treatment resulting in death. Acute service redesign led to the development of a regional TTP Specialist Centre facilitating acute coordinated care and centralization of resource and expertise. Tangible improvements in critical parameters were demonstrated including time to diagnosis, time to line insertion, time to plasma exchange and overall survival. Further understanding of how the evolution of TTP Specialist Centers diverges from an ad hoc approach to managing this vulnerable patient group offers promise in the translation to improved patient outcomes globally.

Biography :

Email: tina.dutt@rlbuht.nhs.uk