Innovation in transfusion medicine and blood banking: documenting the record in 50 years of TRANSFUSION

Not a crystal ball: Mapping opportunities and threats for the future demand of red blood cells in the Netherlands using a scenario approach

BACKGROUND

As Western blood transfusion practices are changing, there is interest and need in anticipating the future demand of blood products and how a blood establishment can actively prepare for various long-term developments. This article provides an overview of how a scenario approach was used to prioritize key categories of drivers for the future demand of red blood cells and the organizational implications thereof for Sanquin, the Dutch national blood establishment.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Based on previously identified drivers from interviews and a literature review (Step 1), we conducted scenario sessions and a survey to rank a list of drivers ("themes") with its related opportunities and threats (Step 2), to identify mitigating measures per theme through focus groups (Step 3).

RESULTS

In Step 2, 10 themes were found that were classified in terms of importance and uncertainty. These were plotted on a two-dimensional graph with an ellipse to indicate the interquartile ranges per theme. Experts rated the top three most important themes to be the blood supply organization, precision medicine, and red blood cell replacements. In Step 3, focus groups identified specific mitigating measures per theme. These measures had parallel ideas, such as the need for an innovative mentality, internal and external communication and collaboration, and building Sanquin's reputation and trust with the public.

CONCLUSION

Having identified the most important themes with suggestions for mitigating measures, Sanquin can take steps to become adaptive and proactive. Other blood establishments may also use a scenario approach to create contextualized long-term strategies.

Patient blood management to reduce transfusion need

Patient blood management is a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach aimed at improving patient outcomes, preserving the blood supply, and reducing costs. By identifying patients at risk for transfusion and taking steps to maintain hemoglobin concentration, manage anemia, optimize hemostasis, and minimize blood loss, clinicians can improve patient outcomes.

Motivating Factors and Potential Deterrents to Blood Donation in High School Aged Blood Donors

Background. To ensure an adequate supply of blood, collection centers must design campaigns that successfully recruit and maintain an active donor pool. Understanding factors that motivate and deter individuals from donating may help centers develop targeted recruitment campaigns. These factors among high school aged blood donors have not yet been fully investigated. Study Design and Methods. A voluntary, anonymous survey was administered to student donors at high school mobile blood drives. The survey instrument asked the students to rate several potential motivating factors in their importance in the decision to donate blood and several potential deterring factors in their future decision whether or not to donate blood again. The survey also asked the students to rate the desirability of several potential incentives. Results. Motivating factors that reflected prosocial, empathetic, and altruistic thoughts and beliefs were rated highly by students. Pain from phlebotomy was most commonly chosen as potential deterrent. Movie tickets and cookies/snacks at the drive were rated as the most attractive incentives. Conclusion. High school aged blood donors are similar to other donor groups in their expressed motives for donating blood. This group may be unique in the factors that deter them from donating and in their preferences for different incentives.

Transfusion medicine as of 2014

Transfusion of blood components is one of the most common medical treatments, and in spite of the time that has evolved since we started to transfuse blood routinely in the 1930s, there are issues associated with its use that we are still trying to improve. Issues such as when to transfuse and adverse effects associated with the transfusion are fields where new evidence is being generated that ideally should help us to indicate when and what to transfuse to the patients. The recognition that the evidence generated in randomized control trials was not widely applied to guide the indication of the transfusion of blood components has provoked the development of initiatives that try to reduce its unnecessary usage. Those initiatives, grouped under the name of patient blood management, have represented a significant paradigm change, and a growing number of activities in this field are performed in health-care facilities around the world. This article tries to summarize the latest publications in those fields.

Restrictive blood transfusion practices are associated with improved patient outcomes

BACKGROUND

Blood transfusion has been cited as one of the five most overutilized therapeutic procedures in the United States. We assessed the impact of clinical decision support at computerized physician order entry and education on red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and clinical patient outcomes at our institution.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Clinical patient outcomes and RBC transfusions were assessed before and after implementation of a best practice alert triggered for transfusions when the hemoglobin level was higher than 7 g/dL for all inpatient discharges from January 2008 through December 2013. Retrospective clinical and laboratory data related to RBC transfusions were extracted: case-mix complexity, patient discharges and selected surgical volumes, and patient outcomes (mortality, 30-day readmissions, length of stay).

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in RBC utilization as assessed by RBC units transfused per 100 patient-days-at-risk. Concurrently, hospital-wide clinical patient outcomes showed improvement (mortality, p = 0.034; length of stay, p = 0.003) or remained stable (30-day readmission rates, p = 0.909). Outcome improvements were even more pronounced in patients who received blood transfusions, with decreased mortality rate (55.2 to 33.0, p < 0.001), length of stay (mean, 10.1 to 6.2 days, p < 0.001), and 30-day readmission rate (136.9 to 85.0, p < 0.001). The mean number of units transfused per patient also declined (3.6 to 2.7, p < 0.001). Acquisition costs of RBC units per 1000 patient discharges decreased from $283,130 in 2009 to $205,050 in 2013 with total estimated savings of $6.4 million and likely far greater impact on total transfusion-related costs.

CONCLUSION

Improved blood utilization is associated with improved clinical patient outcomes.

Improved blood utilization using real-time clinical decision support

BACKGROUND

We analyzed blood utilization at Stanford Hospital and Clinics after implementing real-time clinical decision support (CDS) and best practice alerts (BPAs) into physician order entry (POE) for blood transfusions.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A clinical effectiveness (CE) team developed consensus with a suggested transfusion threshold of a hemoglobin (Hb) level of 7 g/dL, or 8 g/dL for patients with acute coronary syndromes. The CDS was implemented in July 2010 and consisted of an interruptive BPA at POE, a link to relevant literature, and an "acknowledgment reason" for the blood order.

RESULTS

The percentage of blood ordered for patients whose most recent Hb level exceeded 8 g/dL ranged at baseline from 57% to 66%; from the education intervention by the CE team August 2009 to July 2010, the percentage decreased to a range of 52% to 56% (p = 0.01); and after implementation of CDS and BPA, by end of December 2010 the percentage of patients transfused outside the guidelines decreased to 35% (p = 0.02) and has subsequently remained below 30%. For the most recent interval, only 27% (767 of 2890) of transfusions occurred in patients outside guidelines. Comparing 2009 to 2012, despite an increase in annual case mix index from 1.952 to 2.026, total red blood cell (RBC) transfusions decreased by 7186 units, or 24%. The estimated net savings for RBC units (at $225/unit) in purchase costs for 2012 compared to 2009 was $1,616,750.

CONCLUSION

Real-time CDS has significantly improved blood utilization. This system of concurrent review can be used by health care institutions, quality departments, and transfusion services to reduce blood transfusions.