COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONNAIRE ON TRANSFUSION MEDICINE IN FISCAL 2006 -STUDY OF THE TRANSFUSION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, HOSPITAL TRANSFUSION COMMITTEE AND APPROPRIATE TRANSFUSION THERAPY

A comprehensive questionnaire on transfusion medicine, including the same questions as in the questionnaires of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, as well as some related to the proposed guidelines for Hospital Transfusion Committee (HTC) activities (proposed guidelines), was sent to 1,355 hospitals in fiscal year 2006. Replies were obtained from 872 hospitals (64.4%). Although 752 hospitals (86.5%) had an established unified management system for blood components and an HTC was established in 813 hospitals (93.6%), doctors responsible for transfusion (transfusionists) with full-time involvement in transfusion were present in only 122 hospitals (14.0%). In 766 hospitals (89.3%) plasma derivatives such as albumin solutions (AS) are controlled by the department of pharmacy, but in 588 hospitals (68.4%) the transfusion departments are provided with information related to AS usage in their hospitals, which is an evident improvement. These improvements certainly reflect the positive application of the transfusion management fee by many hospitals. In fact, 108 hospitals (13.0%) and 189 hospitals (22.7%) have already achieved the criteria to obtain the hospital fees for transfusion management 1 and 2, respectively. Since 610 hospitals (77.0%) considered the proposed guidelines useful, it can be concluded that HTC activities based on the practical guidelines are important to appropriate transfusion practice.