Background: The effect on component wastage after enhancing the clinician's ability to order blood products in the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system was investigated in a multihospital network.
Methods: A novel field was added to the CPOE of eight hospitals within a health care system allowing the physician to reserve a red blood cell (RBC) unit for transfusion at a later time. Simultaneously, an electronic means of communication with the blood bank was implemented requiring the nurse to ensure that the patient was prepared for the transfusion before a product could be issued. The wastage rates in the 12 months after these electronic enhancements (Phase 2) was compared to the preceding 19 months of a non-CPOE-based waste reduction campaign (Phase 1) and to the 24 months before the campaign (baseline period).
Results: There were significant reductions in platelet (PLT) waste between the baseline period and Phase 1 (p < 0.05) and between Phase 2 and both Phase 1 and the baseline period (p < 0.05). The annual systemwide cost savings in wasted PLTs between the baseline period and Phase 2 was approximately $123,300. RBC waste was significantly reduced between Phase 2 and both Phase 1 and the baseline period (p < 0.05). Cryoprecipitate waste was reduced between Phase 2 and the baseline period (p < 0.05), while plasma waste did not change between the three periods.
Conclusions: Implementing a multifaceted approach to waste reduction led to a significant reduction in wastage for RBCs, PLTs, and cryoprecipitate.
© 2015 AABB.