Segregation of blood inventory: A key driver for optimum blood stock management in a resource-poor setting

Blood inventory management entails maintaining a delicate balance between guaranteeing blood availability and minimizing wastage. The study was conducted to identify and analyze various factors of wastage which can provide insight to ideal inventory management, thus help in formulating policies and improve efficiency of blood transfusion services.

The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. To determine various causes of wastage, a retrospective analysis was done over 6 months and preventive strategies adopted. Issuable stock index (ISI) and wastage as percentage of issue (WAPI) were used to compare the effect on blood inventory before and after adoption of strategies. The average number of times each ABO group and Rh type was crossmatched before final transfusion was calculated and compared for randomly selected units over the first 6 months of 2012 and 2013.

Outdating was found to be the largest cause, and decrease in discarding rate was observed after adoption of strategies. Mean ISI for different study periods was comparable. However, significant decrease (P = 0.015) was observed for WAPI and WAPI with respect to outdating. Significant decrease in average number of times a unit was crossmatched before final transfusion for all positive blood groups and O-negative blood group was observed over corresponding first 6 months of 2012 and 2013.

Division of inventory into two parts, enlistment of soon to outdate blood components, and reduction of holding of blood units to minimum period for elective surgery patients are simple measures which can minimize wastage.