The Burden of Blood Transfusion: A Utilization Analysis - A Pilot Study

The primary objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the burden of blood transfusion on the institutional outpatient transfusion center. The burden of blood transfusion will be characterized by quantifying time and personnel resources associated with the administration of blood transfusions.

This pilot study is a retrospective chart review (starting July 1, 2010, working backwards until 100 evaluable patients are accrued) that evaluated time and resources of blood transfusions at a single local institutional transfusion center located in the US. The record review currently includes 80 RBC transfusions. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated for patient’s age, pre-transfusion Hgb level and other transfusion related activities.

The mean (SD) patient age was 59 (12) years, and the mean pre-transfusion Hgb was 8.0 (0.8) g/dL. The majority of RBC units administered were 2 units (n =66) with one unit received by n=8 and three units received by n=6. Mean (SD) times to administer the first, second and third units were 102 (12) minutes, 101 (19) minutes and 93 (14) minutes, respectively. The mean (SD) duration of a patient visit to the transfusion center was 313 (59) minutes, with a range of 135 – 448 minutes. When one, two and three units were administered, mean (SD) visit duration was 203 (40) minutes, 321 (46) minutes and 375 (25) minutes, respectively.

In this preliminary analysis when transfusion is administered, the majority of patients received 2 units of RBCs and the mean time to administer these 2 units was about 3.3 hrs. The duration of patient visits on average was 5.2 hrs which could be a considerable burden on cancer patients. The cost and labor quantification of mean time of administering RBC transfusion would elicit burden to the transfusion center.

Reitan:Amgen: Research Funding. Shreay:Amgen: Employment. Corey-Lisle:Amgen: Employment.