Raza
@transfusion.health
🩸Physician + Researcher @UToronto. Medical decision-making, data science (stats, AI), films, and rock climbing #TMSky #Hemesky
Pinned
Over-optimism for AI comes partly from the coincidence that the people developing it (coders) happen to perform the economic task it is the most adept at (coding). This creates a very strong self-reinforcing loop of hype and (imo) naive over-extrapolation of capabilities to other domains
February 6, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Over-optimism for AI comes partly from the coincidence that the people developing it (coders) happen to perform the economic task it is the most adept at (coding). This creates a very strong self-reinforcing loop of hype and (imo) naive over-extrapolation of capabilities to other domains
Although I disagree with this author that bias isn't error (it is absolutely a component of error), I agree with their argument that deciding when to address bias should guided by alignment on how the model is used, not only its generic contribution to raw accuracy
February 4, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Although I disagree with this author that bias isn't error (it is absolutely a component of error), I agree with their argument that deciding when to address bias should guided by alignment on how the model is used, not only its generic contribution to raw accuracy
Thank you for the resource. I wish biostatisticians would publish some sort of consensus guidelines/heuristics that us dumb clinicians can rely on to check that we are mostly doing the right thing (I am told statisticians will never agree enough to produce such a thing). An old paper I did like:
January 28, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Thank you for the resource. I wish biostatisticians would publish some sort of consensus guidelines/heuristics that us dumb clinicians can rely on to check that we are mostly doing the right thing (I am told statisticians will never agree enough to produce such a thing). An old paper I did like:
I find 'alpha spending' to be an incredibly awkward concept. How many hypotheses can I test? At what point does it stop being kosher? How much do I need to correct for multiple testing? How many tests can I run and how many I should just never test again? Is pre-specification the only answer? #stats
January 27, 2026 at 7:28 PM
I find 'alpha spending' to be an incredibly awkward concept. How many hypotheses can I test? At what point does it stop being kosher? How much do I need to correct for multiple testing? How many tests can I run and how many I should just never test again? Is pre-specification the only answer? #stats
One of the best pieces of advice I got as a doctor in training was to share my uncertainty and transparently lay out my thought process with patients. It goes against conventional wisdom that one may appear incompetent, unconfident, or indecisive. I've yet to meet a patient who didn't like it #meded
January 2, 2026 at 4:42 PM
One of the best pieces of advice I got as a doctor in training was to share my uncertainty and transparently lay out my thought process with patients. It goes against conventional wisdom that one may appear incompetent, unconfident, or indecisive. I've yet to meet a patient who didn't like it #meded
If you have a statistician, ML engineer, or some similar methods expert on your project, give them commensurately high author line credit. They usually contribute far more and consequentially to studies than most other authors, yet often end up low middle-author or sometimes left off entirely #stats
January 2, 2026 at 2:54 AM
If you have a statistician, ML engineer, or some similar methods expert on your project, give them commensurately high author line credit. They usually contribute far more and consequentially to studies than most other authors, yet often end up low middle-author or sometimes left off entirely #stats
#ThePitt has been widely appraised for uncannily accurate dramatizations of emergency medicine. Pleased to report they've also done a great job with transfusion!
www.trasci.com/article/S147...
#medsky
www.trasci.com/article/S147...
#medsky
“Go with O Pos” - Blood Transfusion During Mass - Casualty in The Pitt
Media depictions of blood transfusion are important because they can motivate blood
donation, inform potential recipients, and shape public perceptions of the blood system.
[1] Two-thirds of Americans...
www.trasci.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:52 AM
#ThePitt has been widely appraised for uncannily accurate dramatizations of emergency medicine. Pleased to report they've also done a great job with transfusion!
www.trasci.com/article/S147...
#medsky
www.trasci.com/article/S147...
#medsky
I think it’s potentially valid to do this in some even-point scales (I can think of some safety related endpoints). Makes 0 sense in odd-point scales
December 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I think it’s potentially valid to do this in some even-point scales (I can think of some safety related endpoints). Makes 0 sense in odd-point scales
Reposted by Raza
Among adults undergoing cardiac surgery at high risk of bleeding and platelet transfusion, cryopreserved platelets did not meet noninferiority for controlling postoperative bleeding and were less effective than liquid-stored platelets. #CCRdownunder ja.ma/4rEC06z
December 9, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Among adults undergoing cardiac surgery at high risk of bleeding and platelet transfusion, cryopreserved platelets did not meet noninferiority for controlling postoperative bleeding and were less effective than liquid-stored platelets. #CCRdownunder ja.ma/4rEC06z
Headline feels inaccurate
December 10, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Headline feels inaccurate
The way the exponential form generalizes so many common, seemingly unrelated distributions (and all the properties you get for free, like sufficiency) has to be one of the most elegant things I’ve learned in #stats, and in general
Good reader: brunomaga.github.io/Exponential-...
Good reader: brunomaga.github.io/Exponential-...
December 9, 2025 at 11:45 PM
The way the exponential form generalizes so many common, seemingly unrelated distributions (and all the properties you get for free, like sufficiency) has to be one of the most elegant things I’ve learned in #stats, and in general
Good reader: brunomaga.github.io/Exponential-...
Good reader: brunomaga.github.io/Exponential-...
I agree, I think these are mostly distinctions of intent, not modeling approaches. It’s like when statisticians say all ML is just redressed stats, which is a valid statement if all you are considering is the model architectures. The distinctions are still helpful for real world practice
November 23, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I agree, I think these are mostly distinctions of intent, not modeling approaches. It’s like when statisticians say all ML is just redressed stats, which is a valid statement if all you are considering is the model architectures. The distinctions are still helpful for real world practice
I also like generative vs analytical AI distinction. AI is a relatively flexible term, conceptually, that you could use it to describe a lot of ML applications, but most of that is not going to be generative AI
November 23, 2025 at 3:24 PM
I also like generative vs analytical AI distinction. AI is a relatively flexible term, conceptually, that you could use it to describe a lot of ML applications, but most of that is not going to be generative AI
Could Wasserman be considered intro?
November 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Could Wasserman be considered intro?
I honestly recommend powerpoint
DAG package outputs just don't end up looking very publishable in my experience
(and if your DAG is so complex that you need a package to update it, you start to question the value of visualizing it at all)
DAG package outputs just don't end up looking very publishable in my experience
(and if your DAG is so complex that you need a package to update it, you start to question the value of visualizing it at all)
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I honestly recommend powerpoint
DAG package outputs just don't end up looking very publishable in my experience
(and if your DAG is so complex that you need a package to update it, you start to question the value of visualizing it at all)
DAG package outputs just don't end up looking very publishable in my experience
(and if your DAG is so complex that you need a package to update it, you start to question the value of visualizing it at all)
In the era of evidence-based medicine, why do the similar patient face different treatment strategies at hospitals in the same healthcare system?
We analyzed 800k+ admissions at 24 hospitals to examine transfusion practice at teaching and non-teaching hospitals
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We analyzed 800k+ admissions at 24 hospitals to examine transfusion practice at teaching and non-teaching hospitals
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Red Cell Transfusion in General Medicine Patients at Teaching and Non-teaching Hospitals: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis - Journal of General Internal Medicine
Background Red blood cell transfusion is a well-studied intervention with numerous randomized trials to guide management, yet practice remains highly variable. Objective In this study, we explored hos...
link.springer.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
In the era of evidence-based medicine, why do the similar patient face different treatment strategies at hospitals in the same healthcare system?
We analyzed 800k+ admissions at 24 hospitals to examine transfusion practice at teaching and non-teaching hospitals
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
We analyzed 800k+ admissions at 24 hospitals to examine transfusion practice at teaching and non-teaching hospitals
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
For those wrestling with applying MINT trial and new AABB RBC MI guidelines results with nuance, I think this figure strikes a good balance for navigating the evidence base at the bedside doi.org/10.1016/j.cj... #transfusion #medsky #cardiology
October 26, 2025 at 10:46 PM
For those wrestling with applying MINT trial and new AABB RBC MI guidelines results with nuance, I think this figure strikes a good balance for navigating the evidence base at the bedside doi.org/10.1016/j.cj... #transfusion #medsky #cardiology
A lot of people in healthcare are asking, "I want to use AI for [my field]"
Higher yield: Let’s make a list of problems worth solving, then discuss if any are best addressed with AI (most won't be)
(e.g. studies aren't typically motivated by, "I want to use retrospective cohort design")
Higher yield: Let’s make a list of problems worth solving, then discuss if any are best addressed with AI (most won't be)
(e.g. studies aren't typically motivated by, "I want to use retrospective cohort design")
October 20, 2025 at 5:07 PM
A lot of people in healthcare are asking, "I want to use AI for [my field]"
Higher yield: Let’s make a list of problems worth solving, then discuss if any are best addressed with AI (most won't be)
(e.g. studies aren't typically motivated by, "I want to use retrospective cohort design")
Higher yield: Let’s make a list of problems worth solving, then discuss if any are best addressed with AI (most won't be)
(e.g. studies aren't typically motivated by, "I want to use retrospective cohort design")
I think most people in the ML/AI space understand that, for most real-world uses, LLMs are merely the gateway drug to entice authority figures to invest in resources that will enable more reliable analytical ML systems. Kind of like how the WWF uses pandas to fund saving other endangered species
October 18, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I think most people in the ML/AI space understand that, for most real-world uses, LLMs are merely the gateway drug to entice authority figures to invest in resources that will enable more reliable analytical ML systems. Kind of like how the WWF uses pandas to fund saving other endangered species
Reposted by Raza
October 6, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Profiting from selling unproven therapies to desperate patients is as old as time. Why does it persist?
Co-authors discuss antecedents, consequences, and contemporary examples of medical grifting from #transfusion, #hematology, and biotherapies
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Co-authors discuss antecedents, consequences, and contemporary examples of medical grifting from #transfusion, #hematology, and biotherapies
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Confronting medical grifting: Fraudulent and unproven products and interventions in apheresis, transfusion and biotherapies
A basic overview of medical grifting for haematologists with practical guidance in identification and tips for management.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Profiting from selling unproven therapies to desperate patients is as old as time. Why does it persist?
Co-authors discuss antecedents, consequences, and contemporary examples of medical grifting from #transfusion, #hematology, and biotherapies
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Co-authors discuss antecedents, consequences, and contemporary examples of medical grifting from #transfusion, #hematology, and biotherapies
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Classic teaching is that no post-1 hr increment points to immune refractoriness.
One important exception is device-related failures, e.g. plts going into a clotted line, a faulty dialysis/apheresis circuit, an ECMO machine, etc!
#hemesky #transfusion
One important exception is device-related failures, e.g. plts going into a clotted line, a faulty dialysis/apheresis circuit, an ECMO machine, etc!
#hemesky #transfusion
September 22, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Classic teaching is that no post-1 hr increment points to immune refractoriness.
One important exception is device-related failures, e.g. plts going into a clotted line, a faulty dialysis/apheresis circuit, an ECMO machine, etc!
#hemesky #transfusion
One important exception is device-related failures, e.g. plts going into a clotted line, a faulty dialysis/apheresis circuit, an ECMO machine, etc!
#hemesky #transfusion
What is the current state of AI/ML research in transfusion medicine?
Co-authors Na Li, @ruchika_goel1, et al, have compiled a critical summary of research applying AI/ML in transfusion, including some glossary tables lay readers will helpful
Read here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Co-authors Na Li, @ruchika_goel1, et al, have compiled a critical summary of research applying AI/ML in transfusion, including some glossary tables lay readers will helpful
Read here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Transfusion Practice: An Analytical Assessment
Transfusion medicine is vital to healthcare and affects clinical outcomes, patient safety, and system resilience while addressing challenges such as b…
www.sciencedirect.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:10 PM
What is the current state of AI/ML research in transfusion medicine?
Co-authors Na Li, @ruchika_goel1, et al, have compiled a critical summary of research applying AI/ML in transfusion, including some glossary tables lay readers will helpful
Read here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Co-authors Na Li, @ruchika_goel1, et al, have compiled a critical summary of research applying AI/ML in transfusion, including some glossary tables lay readers will helpful
Read here:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...