Introduction to Home-Based Blood Transfusion

This text constitutes the opening chapter of a forthcoming book dedicated to home-based transfusion services. It introduces the historical evolution, clinical rationale, and contemporary relevance of transfusion beyond hospital settings, highlighting demographic drivers, patient-centred benefits and system-level implications. Drawing on haemovigilance data and current evidence, it establishes the conceptual foundation for subsequent chapters, which will explore operational, ethical, logistical, and clinical dimensions of implementing safe, effective, and person-centred home transfusion models.