Saving Blood Bags

ABSTRACT Objective: To reduce the number of discarded red cell concentration units by 30 per cent in the hospital blood bank. Study Design: Cross-sectional study (Clinical Audit). Place and Duration of Study: Blood Bank, Najran Armed Forces Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from Jan 2019 to Jun 2020. Methodology: Data on discarded blood units was collected from January to June 2019 and January to June 2020 through non-probability convenient sampling. All blood donations made during this period were included except therapeutic phlebotomy units. Changes in the blood bank process and procedures were made from July to December 2019. Discard of red cell concentrates from Jan to Jun 2019 and Jan to Jun 2020 was compared. Net Cost Savings were calculated using the Impact Analysis Calculator. Results: The total number of discarded Red Cell Concentrates was 174(41.1%) of the 423 donated units from Jan to Jun 2019. After making changes in inventory management and post-implementation these changes in the blood bank, 84(29.1%) of 288 RCC units were discarded from Jan to Jun 2020 (p-value of 0.02). The net cost savings was SAR 72750. Conclusion: Interventions in blood bank inventory management can prevent the loss of life-saving blood products and result in cost and resource savings.