Supporting safer surgeries with Nova Scotia Health’s Perioperative Blood Management program

For many Maritime patients undergoing surgery in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Health’s Perioperative (Surgical) Blood Management (PBM) program is a vital extension of the care they receive in operating rooms across the region.

It’s a behind-the-scenes service few know anything about but is critical to providing safe and effective care.

Led by nurse practitioner Heather Mingo, anesthesiologist Dr. Blaine Kent, and registered nurses’ Erin Sampson and Katlyn Carver, this team helps patients before, during, and after surgery to optimize blood health and help improve surgical outcomes.

Established 25 years ago, the Nova Scotia Health program is one of Canada’s first and the largest east of Montreal.  

The team focuses on detecting and treating blood conditions like anemia and iron deficiencies before and after surgery. Left undetected and untreated, these conditions can increase the need for blood or blood product transfusions during and after surgery. This can affect patients’ recovery, lead to longer hospital stays, or even cause life-threatening complications.  

“When patients’ blood health is optimized, their recovery is faster and their quality of life often improves,” said Mingo. “Ideally, we start working with patients four to six weeks before surgery to get them in the best shape possible.”

The program’s approach to preserving and managing patients’ own blood has become a global standard of care, with blood management being formally recognized by the World Health Organization since 2010.

“It has been clearly demonstrated in surgeries like cardiac (heart) surgery, that each unit of blood you receive can have an incremental, negative impact on your quality of life and survival, five years out,” said Kent.

With more than 73,000 surgeries completed from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, and approximately one in four patients experiencing anemia, the impact of perioperative blood management is especially significant. The team sees about 150 new surgical patients per month and supports more than 300 others during and after their hospital stay.

“Working with the program is challenging and rewarding, and there is no such thing as a typical day,” said Sampson. “It is a busy service. The volume and type of new patient referrals arriving each morning determine the day’s schedule.”

Kent credits the program’s early success to the province’s proactive response to both national blood safety concerns and the unique needs of patients whose religious beliefs prohibit blood transfusions.

“We learned a lot from those patients,” he said. “It is rewarding to support people through what can be one of the most frightening times of their lives.”

Advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques and interventions have also helped reduce blood loss during surgery and improve blood coagulation (clotting), reducing the need for transfusions, further benefitting patients, and preserving national blood supplies for those who need them most.  

Nova Scotia’s Perioperative Blood Management team continues to lead the way in safer surgeries and stronger recoveries. Their dedicated work supporting patients with blood-related issues before, during, and after surgery is improving patient experiences and outcomes, earning the team the 2024 Dalhousie University Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management, and Perioperative Medicine Internal Team Award of Excellence. 

Photo of (L-R) Perioperative Blood Management team members: Erin Sampson, registered nurse; Heather Mingo, nurse practitioner; Katlyn Carver, registered nurse; Dr. Blaine Kent, anesthesiologist.