Blood usage and wastage at an academic teaching hospital before the initial wave of COVID-19 and during and after its quarantine periods.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion services aim to maintain sufficient blood inventory to support patients, even with challenges introduced by COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To review blood usage and wastage before, during, and after COVID-19 surges, and to evaluate effects on inventory. METHODS: In a retrospective review, we evaluated the association between time periods corresponding to the initial wave of COVID-19 (pre-COVID-19, quarantine, and postquarantine) and blood usage/wastage. Data were stratified by period, and χ2 testing was used to examine the association between these time periods and blood usage/wastage. RESULTS: In the period before COVID-19, the transfusion service used more units, and in the period after quarantine, more units went to waste. Across all time periods, the most-used product was RBCs, and the most wasted product was plasma. A statistically significant association existed between usage (χ2 [6/3209 (0.2%)]) = 24.534; P ≤.001; Cramer V = 0.62), wastage (χ2 [6/775 (0.8%)]) = 21.673; P = .001; Cramer V = 0.118), and time period. The postquarantine period displayed the highest wastage costs ($51,032.35), compared with the pre-COVID-19 period ($29,734.45). CONCLUSION: Changes in blood inventory use and waste are significantly associated with the onset and continuation of COVID-19.

Implementation of a molecular genotyping protocol for patients with warm autoantibodies.

BACKGROUND: Warm autoantibodies (WAAs) cause delays and additional expenses while determining suitable products when using a traditional protocol (TP). In 2013, Carter BloodCare Immunohematology Reference Laboratory (IRL) introduced a molecular protocol (MP) for patients with WAAs. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Retrospective review of records for samples referred to the IRL from November 2004 to September 2020, was performed. Referrals, alloantibody(ies), gender, and age were recorded. Additionally, the count of common clinically significant antigens needed for phenotypically matched red blood cells (RBCs) were recorded for patients in MP. To further analyze charges and time spent testing patients with WAAs, 300 patients were selected. RESULTS: Analysis of average charges to the referring hospital and time spent testing in the IRL determined savings at two or more referrals. Overall, 219 of 300 (73%) of patients in the study met or exceeded the number of referrals. Further analysis shows that while the population of patients with WAA (n = 300) shared similar demographics, there was a statistically significant difference between the average time testing patients in TP (M = 264.18, SD = 15.06) and MP (M = 156.00, SD = 90.37), t(157) = 14.46, p < .001, 95% confidence interval [CI] (93.41-122.97). Additionally, the assumption that each patient received two RBCs per referral provided no statistically significant difference between average charges to the hospitals of patients in TP (M = 1222.58, SD = 165.69) and MP (M = 1269.78, SD = 433.52), t(192) = -1.25, p = .214, 95% CI (-121.95-27.54). CONCLUSION: The MP has been effective in saving time spent testing patients with WAAs, which benefits referring hospitals, patients, and IRLs. Charges for prophylactic phenotypically matched blood were negligible and a MP would alleviate some of the current laboratory difficulties while providing safe products to patients.