Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Comprehensive & Cost Effective Laboratory Monitoring of HIV/AIDS: an African Role Model
Published on: October 31, 2010
Monitoring for underutilization of RBC components and platelets
S Saxena1, G Wehrli, K Makarewicz
1Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, USA. saxena@hsc.usc.edu
Background:
Monitoring blood transfusion for overutilization is standard practice at most institutions.
Study Design And Methods:
This study monitored for underutilization of blood transfusion over a 14-month period, by evaluating patients who had Hb levels that were reported to be <5 g per dL or platelet counts <10 x 10(9) per L and who did not receive an RBC or platelet transfusion within 24 hours of the reported results.
Results:
During the study period, 24,004 units of RBCs and 3,967 units of apheresis platelets were transfused. There were 148 patients who had a Hb level that was reported to be <5 g per dL or a platelet count reported to be <10 x 10(9) per L and who did not receive a transfusion during the 24 hours after the reporting of these results. In 5 cases, the patients died before the reporting of the low Hb or platelet counts, which precluded the low Hb or low platelet count reports from triggering transfusion therapy. In 8 cases, an underutilization review investigation could not be done, because of the unavailability of patient charts. Of the remaining 135 cases, investigation revealed justifiable reasons for withholding transfusion in 133. In 2 cases, the withholding of transfusion was deemed by peer review to be inappropriate, as the patients should have received a transfusion. Overall, there was one documented underutilization of RBC transfusion therapy during a period when 24,004 units were transfused and one underutilization of platelet transfusion therapy during a period when 3,967 units of apheresis platelets were transfused.
Conclusion:
Monitoring for underutilization of transfusion therapy fulfills the requirements of the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations: While the underutilization of transfusion therapy did not appear to be a significant problem at this medical center, determining the reasons for withholding transfusions shed light on important patient care-related issues, including preexisting causes of falsely low platelet counts and Hb levels, delays in investigating critical laboratory values, and the need for policies for the treatment of patients who refuse transfusion for personal or religious reasons.
