Perceived problems associated with perioperative blood product preparation

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Transfusion Medicine
• Healthcare Operations

Background:

• Efficient blood product preparation is critical for surgeries with high blood loss risk.
• Lack of operating room blood refrigerators can cause delays and interdepartmental friction.
• Current institutional standards may not align with clinical expectations for blood preparation times.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess anesthesia providers' expectations for blood product preparation time.
• To identify the frequency and sources of problems in perioperative blood product preparation.
• To compare perceived reasonable preparation times with the institutional standard.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was distributed to anesthesia providers and blood bank technologists.
• The survey collected data on perceived reasonable blood preparation times.
• Respondents reported the frequency of various potential problem sources during blood preparation.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of anesthesia providers (94.9%) found <90 minutes reasonable, with 79.7% preferring <60 minutes.
• Over half (54.8%) of respondents reported frequent or constant problems with blood product preparation.
• Numerous potential problem sources were identified, indicating frequent workflow and communication issues.

Conclusions:

• Problems in perioperative blood product preparation occur frequently, failing to meet anesthesia team expectations.
• Identified issues necessitate further investigation to improve workflow and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Optimizing blood product availability and preparation processes is crucial for patient safety.