Evaluating the rate of blood components discarded at a private transfusion facility as a first step toward tailoring wastage

Abstract

Background and objectives Abstract Transfusion of blood and blood products plays a central role in various life-saving procedures and clinical conditions. Wastage of blood and blood products in a country where concept of voluntary blood donation is still naïve and blood banks strive to fulfill the ongoing requirement is inexcusable. This study focused on collecting the baseline wastage data of various blood products and identifying reasons behind wastage. Materials and methods The study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2019 in a hospital blood bank of a tertiary care center. Retrospective analysis was done on the data retrieved. Wastage rate and potential reasons of wastage of different blood products were analyzed. Results A total of 11 594 U of blood were issued from blood bank during the study duration. Expired platelets were found to be the most frequently wasted blood products (3998/4861). Overall wastage rate as a percentage of issue was 41.9%. Conclusion Blood product wastage in our institute is high, translating to immense financial burden. The study highlighted various key elements and malpractices that contributed to overall wastage. A follow-up study after implementation of corrective measures is planned to regularly monitor wastage of blood and blood products.