COMPUTER ASSISTED PROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF BLOOD PRODUCT UTILIZATION : A LARGE HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract In an effort to assess need to administer blood products, we developed a computer-assisted prospective blood utilization review system. Prior to transfusion, clinical information (from the blood requisition form) and pertinent laboratory data (from the laboratory information system) are checked against approved hospital transfusion guidelines (HTG). If request-review is outside HTG, the blood bank physician is called to review and consult with ordering physician. Of 27,840 requests received in a year period (1995–1996), 1.2% (327) were outside HTG and were physician reviewed. The great majority, 120/160 (88%) of requests for red blood cells (RBC) or whole blood were approved; about 65% of these were approved in patients with cardiorespiratory dysfunction and hemoglobin (Hb) ≥90 g/L. Slightly more than two-thirds, 84/119 (71%) of platelet concentrate requests reviewed were approved; about 69% of them were approved in patients who were either bleeding or were undergoing an invasive procedure and had platelets ≥20× 9 /L. Almost four-fifths, 38/48 (79%) of fresh frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate requests reviewed were approved; all in bleeding patients with sepsis and/or disseminated intravascular coagulation. Based on the frequent request for RBC transfusions in patients with cardiorespiratory dysfunction and Hb ≥90 g/L, we have obtained approval to increase the Hb threshold to