A rational approach to crossmatching blood for elective surgery

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Hospital blood transfusion services face challenges in cost-effectiveness and blood wastage.
• Optimizing blood utilization is crucial for efficient healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of implementing a group-and-screen system on hospital blood transfusion services.
• To assess improvements in cost-effectiveness, blood wastage, and blood age.

Main Methods:

• A group-and-screen system was introduced for specific surgical procedures.
• Key performance indicators such as crossmatch-transfusion ratio, blood wastage, and mean age of transfused blood were monitored before and after implementation.

Main Results:

• The crossmatch-transfusion ratio for targeted procedures decreased from 11.1 to 3.3.
• Overall hospital crossmatch-transfusion ratio improved (2.7 to 2.2, p<0.001).
• Blood wastage by expiry reduced from 12% to 5% (p<0.02), and mean age of transfused blood decreased (12.3 to 10.4 days, p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The group-and-screen system enhanced the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the blood bank.
• No adverse events were reported, indicating successful implementation.
• The system facilitates the transfusion of fresher blood, improving patient care outcomes.