A Study on the Blood Processing Costs in Hospital Blood Banks / 대한수혈학회지

BACKGROUND: The blood processing works are composed of phlebotomy, donor testing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, and quality control. Among these, storage, transportation and quality control are done partially at the blood collection centers and finally accomplished at the hospital blood banks. We tried to analyze blood processing costs in hospital blood banks. METHODS: Blood processing costs are divided into physician works, practice expenses, and professional liability insurance according to RBRVS (Resource-Based Relative Value Scale). Physician works were analyzed according to the study of the 'Physician work RBRVS committee of the Korean society for laboratory medicine'. For the practice expenses, three university hospital blood banks data were analyzed. The costs for the blood supply of small clinics or hospitals without blood banks were investigated by questionnaire. RESULTS: Comprehensive works of physician were such as laboratory administration, quality control, preparation of procedure manual, education, quality improvement control. Specific works of physician were such as supervision over technologists, analysis of quality control data, management of blood inventory, storage and issue, blood utilization review, management of adverse transfusion reaction, blood return and disposal. As for one unit of blood, the standard labor time of technologists was 28.8 minutes (which is equivalent of 7,680 won) and the mean equipment cost was 592 won. The mean cost of small clinics or hospitals for blood supply was 12,150 won. CONCLUSION: The reimbursement of blood processing cost for the hospital blood bank would contribute to stable blood bank administration, stable blood supply and safe transfusion.

Analysis of Present Status as Blood Donation Center of Hospital Blood Banks and Satisfaction Level with the Korean Red Cross / 대한수혈학회지

BACKGROUND: Blood supply in Korea has been unstable in more than a year because transfusion-related infection was repeated in patients receiving blood that the Korean Red Cross Blood Center (KRCBC) had supplied. The purpose of this study is to contribute to stable and efficient blood supply in our country by analysis of present status of hospital blood banks as blood donation center and their satisfaction levels with the KRCBC. METHODS: From July to August 2004, we performed questionnaire survey in 129 hospital blood banks that the KRCBC issued donor card in 2003. Among them, 73 hospitals replied and we analyzed them. RESULTS: Fifty-one (69.8%) among 73 hospital blood banks collected less than 100 cases of blood donation in 2003 and 16 of them collected no blood component. Satisfaction level with KRCBC was only 1.8 in hospitals less than 300 beds. Improvement in the delivery of blood components and blood testing of donated blood were in highest need among all areas of services supplied by KRCBC. Hospitals more than 1,000 beds answered that they would not transfer the collection service to KRCBC no matter how NAT be performed in all donated blood because of the directed and autologous donation of their hospitals. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction level of Hospital blood banks in Korea with blood services of KRCBC was rated below average, especially in hospitals less than 300 beds. It is important that the government should be the subject of national blood services and suggest appropriate schemes such as national audit program through close cooperation with the KRCBC and hospitals.