Is Platelet Expiring Out of Date? A Systematic Review.

Current platelet concentrates are perishable blood products with short shelf lives. Combined with often unpredictable demand, this results in platelet inventory management problems, manifested by high rates of outdating frequently reported at 10% to 20%, and sometimes inadequate clinical supply. The objective of this study was to critically review the published methodologies on measures to reduce platelet outdating rates, in order to determine how platelet outdating and availability can be improved.

The cost of blood: a study of the total cost of red blood cell transfusion in patients with β-thalassemia using time-driven activity-based costing.

Background: To accurately quantify the costs of care for patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), and to evaluate cost-effectiveness of new treatments, data are required on costs of regular red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. However, no previous studies have evaluated the costs of RBC transfusion specifically in chronically transfused patients.

Methods And Materials: We performed a time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) study using a health care provider perspective.

An international investigation into O red blood cell unit administration in hospitals: the GRoup O Utilization Patterns (GROUP) study.

Background: Transfusion of group O blood to non-O recipients, or transfusion of D- blood to D+ recipients, can result in shortages of group O or D- blood, respectively. This study investigated RBC utilization patterns at hospitals around the world and explored the context and policies that guide ABO blood group and D type selection practices.

Study Design And Methods: This was a retrospective study on transfusion data from the 2013 calendar year.