Patterns of blood use in Connecticut

Blood use patterns were studied in a setting essentially free of the constraints of shortage, high-cost, nonreplacement penalties, and high hepatitis risk. Connecticut's hospitals used an average of 0.299 unit of blood per patient discharge in 1978. Interhospital variation was great, with large hospitals using more blood per discharge. The percentages of blood ordered by individual hospitals as red blood cells ranged from 38.9 to 96.2 per cent. Frozen red blood cells were ordered in greater proportion by large hospitals. Relative plasma use was greater in large hospitals, ranging from 0.003 to 0.232 unit per unit of blood. Hospital outdating ranged from 0.1 to 21.3 per cent, with large hospitals outdating proportionately less. Such striking variations suggest that habits and personal preferences may determine the pattern of a hospital's blood use, and, therefore, the costs of blood provision. Statewide from 1971 to 1978, red blood cell ordering increased from 13.8 to 63 per cent of total blood order. Plasma use has increased from 0.025 to 0.130 unit per unit of blood. Blood use per patient discharge has also increased, but more slowly.