Title

Resources Management: Efficient Utilization of Blood Transfusion: Lessons from the Blood Bank

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Description

The utilization and management of blood is an imperative undertaking when considering the cost, risk and limited resources involved. Mountain States Health Alliance, with the guidance and dedication from Dr. Andrew Fletcher and his team, were able to sustain a 20% reduction in blood utilization overall since the inception of the project to present. Mountain States was also able to save approximately $250,000 over a one-year period due to the change in policy and procedure of ordering blood as well as the close and thoughtful monitoring of the entire health system’s blood usage. This change in policy not only produced monetary and resource savings, it also reduced the risk of adverse transfusion reactions and created a more patient-centered approach to supplying and ordering blood for the patients of the health system. As the health care system as a whole is continuously struggling to keep up with demands for more efficient use of resources, this model can be and has been adapted to other resources such as pharmacy and radiology, and will continue to be useful in effecting efficiency across healthcare facilities.

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