Background: In 2020, the Systematic Review Initiative [SRI] and the International Society of Blood Transfusion [ISBT] began a partnership to improve the dissemination of the transfusion medicine evidence base. ISBT is a world-renowned, trusted professional network in transfusion medicine. SRI is a producer of high-quality evidence used by clinical, research and guideline developer audiences. The collaboration aims to promote awareness of high-quality papers, facilitate learning and networking opportunities for ISBT members and enhance the SRI/ISBT partnership.
Objectives: To present initial experience of the SRI/ISBT Transfusion Evidence Round-Ups.
Methods: Annually, a working group of ISBT and SRI staff meet to select four theme days. These days are spread across the year and mostly ally to an internationally recognised theme day selected to be representative of transfusion medicine issues that are relevant worldwide. A ‘Transfusion Evidence Round-Up’ highlights 10 recently published papers that directly address the chosen theme. Each Round-Up is curated from the content of the SRI’s Transfusion Evidence Library, with SRI staff identifying possibly relevant papers and a multidisciplinary panel of volunteers drawn from ISBT panel with an interest in the theme, selecting the top 10 papers. Round-Ups are sent by email to all ISBT members and Transfusion Evidence Library subscribers. The last two Round-Ups have been accompanied by live online journal clubs facilitated jointly by SRI and ISBT staff.
Results: The first Round-Up was disseminated in September 2021. To date, six Round-Ups have been created and disseminated, with themes including safer maternal and newborn care for World Patient Safety Day, World Cancer Day, International Thalassaemia Day and World Haemophilia Day. Feedback and access to analytic data has demonstrated that the Round-Ups have been equally well-received by both audiences. ISBT members who have participated in the reviewing panels have also provided positive feedback on their experience. Journal clubs have been well attended.
Conclusions: The collaboration has had a successful start, with the Round-Ups raising awareness of the importance of the role of evidence synthesis for transfusion medicine with ISBT members and enabling the SRI to disseminate to a bigger global audience than ever before.
Patient, public and/or healthcare consumer involvement: