Utilization and sources of blood components in Taiwan

A three-year survey program, sponsored by the Department of Health, Taiwan R.O.C., was conducted from 1990 to 1992 to investigate blood utilization and blood sources in Taiwanese hospitals. The survey covered the period from January 1989 to December 1991. The hospitals surveyed included nine to 12 medical centers, 40 to 48 regional hospitals, 148 to 163 community hospitals, and 363 to 451 specialty hospitals. Their respective response rates for three consecutive years were 75.0%, 87.9% and 84.1%. Approximately 86% (for 1988) to 98% (for 1991) of all units transfused in Taiwan were surveyed (unit of blood = 250 ml). Utilization of various blood components, ie, red blood cell (RBC) components, frozen plasma (FP), cryoprecipitate (CRYO) and platelets (PLT), showed a trend of continuous increase. In 1991, 12 medical centers and 48 regional hospitals consumed 81.4% of the RBC components, including whole blood (WB) and packed red blood cells (PRBC), while the remaining 18.6% was consumed by 138 community hospitals and 282 specialty hospitals. The average blood utilization of medical centers was 37,383 units of RBC components, 30,949 units of FP, 6,990 units of CRYO, and 21,353 units of PLT per hospital. Utilization of RBC components was 7,191 units per regional hospital, 1,012 units per community hospital, and 148 units per specialty hospital. In 1991, almost all other components consumed in Taiwan, namely FP, CRYO and PLT, were utilized by medical centers and regional hospitals. WB and PRBC sources showed a drastic decline in paid donation, a modest decrease in hospital blood drawn from voluntary donors and an increasing role of the BLood Donation Association (BDA) in volunteer blood donation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)