Current performance of patient sample collection in the UK

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Clinical Pathology
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Sample collection is the critical first step in pretransfusion testing.
• Existing guidelines from the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) aim to standardize this process.
• Variations in policy and practice can impact patient safety and transfusion efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current hospital policies for patient sample collection for pretransfusion testing.
• To compare these policies against BCSH recommendations.
• To determine the frequency of rejected samples and wrong blood in tube (WBIT) events.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among hospitals in England and North Wales regarding their sample collection policies.
• Hospitals reported on their policies and measured the rates of rejected samples and WBIT.
• Data from 185 hospitals were analyzed, comparing policies and calculating rejection and WBIT frequencies.

Main Results:

• 98% of surveyed hospitals had a sample collection policy, with 96% compliance on mandatory patient identifiers.
• Significant variation was observed in practices for sample labeling and modifications.
• 3.2% of submitted samples were rejected, primarily due to incomplete information. The mean WBIT rate was 1 in 1501 samples.

Conclusions:

• There is considerable variation in sample collection policies and practices for pretransfusion testing.
• Inconsistent adherence to guidelines and labeling practices were noted.
• Implementing regular monitoring of sample rejection and WBIT rates can help identify and rectify performance deficits in healthcare facilities.