| Blood wastage reduction using Lean Sigma methodology. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 20456700 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) product wastage in hospitals is reported to range from 0.1% to 6.7%. Wastage at our institution averaged 4.4% of 63,000 issued RBC products. Data indicated that approximately 87% of wasted RBC units were either individual units that were out of blood bank for more than 30 minutes (dispensed but not administered) or units packed in transport containers that had temperature indicators affixed to each unit. We hypothesized that Lean Sigma methodology could be used to reduce RBC wastage by 50%. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An interdisciplinary hospital team (transfusion medicine, nursing, and anesthesiology) used Lean Sigma methodology as a tool to reduce RBC product wastage, with a focus on container wastage, which was determined to yield the largest impact. Using the five-part Lean Sigma process-define, measure, analyze, improve, and control-the team collected baseline wastage data, identified major factors affecting RBC product wastage, and implemented interventions to reduce amount of wastage. RESULTS: Factors identified as contributors to RBC wastage most amenable to improvement were lack of awareness and training of staff ordering and handling RBC products, management of temperature-validated containers, inconsistent interpretation of RBC temperature indicators, and need for accountability when ordering blood products. Overall RBC product wastage decreased from 4.4% to a sustained rate of less than 2%. This reduction decreased the number of RBC units wasted by approximately 4300 per year, savings approximately $800,000 over the 4-year period of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Lean Sigma methodology was an effective tool for reducing RBC wastage in a large academic hospital. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Eugenie S Heitmiller; Richard B Hill; Christi E Marshall; Barbara J Parsons; Lauren C Berkow; Christine A Barrasso; Elizabeth K Zink; Paul M Ness |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Transfusion Volume: 50 ISSN: 1537-2995 ISO Abbreviation: Transfusion Publication Date: 2010 Sep |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2010-11-05 Completed Date: 2010-12-06 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 0417360 Medline TA: Transfusion Country: United States |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 1887-96 Citation Subset: IM |
Copyright Information:
|
© 2010 American Association of Blood Banks. |
Affiliation:
|
Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology, the Center for Innovation in Quality Patient Care, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. eheitmi1@jhmi.edu |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Blood Banks
/
statistics & numerical data* Efficiency, Organizational Erythrocytes Hospitals / statistics & numerical data Humans Medical Waste / prevention & control*, statistics & numerical data Process Assessment (Health Care) / methods* |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
|
0/Medical Waste |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
|
Transfusion. 2010 Sep;50(9):1860-1
[PMID:
21050224
]
|
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Human immunodeficiency virus test-seeking blood donors in a large blood bank in São Paulo, Brazil.
Next Document: Platelet senescence and phosphatidylserine exposure.