Network computer-assisted transfusion-management system for accurate blood component-recipient identification at the bedside.
BACKGROUND
ABO-mismatched transfusions caused by human error are among the most serious problems in transfusion therapy. The major cause is misidentification of a recipient or a blood component at the bedside.


METHODS
A network computer-assisted transfusion-management system has been developed with bar coding as a fail-safe/fool-proof system for accurate component-recipient identification at the bedside, which allows us to monitor the usage of blood components in real time. The efficacy of this system was evaluated to prevent human errors by monitoring the transfusion process via the network and analyzing voluntary and mandatory reports with regard to transfusion errors over a 3-year period. The crossmatch-to-transfusion ratio for operations and outdate rate of RBCs were calculated to assess economic benefit.


RESULTS
More than 60,000 blood components have been transfused perfectly to the intended recipients via the network, and one human error was prevented by the system. After establishment of the network system, the crossmatch-to-transfusion ratio for operations and outdate rate of RBCs have been gradually reduced from around 2.5 to 1.8 and from 3.9 to 0.32 percent, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The network computer-assisted management system greatly contributes to safe and efficient transfusion therapy.
Divisions of Transfusion Medicine, National Cardiovascular Center, 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita City, Osaka 565-8565, Japan. smiyata@hsp.ncvc.go.jp
Shigeki
S
Miyata
Takeshi
T
Kawai
Suguru
S
Yamamoto
Masahiro
M
Takada
Yasuyuki
Y
Iwatani
Osamu
O
Uchida
Hideaki
H
Imanaka
Kazuhiro
K
Sase
Toshikatsu
T
Yagihara
Masakazu
M
Kuro
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D001793:Blood Preservation; D003199:Computer Systems; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D010355:Patient Identification Systems; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012984:Software
D000017:ABO Blood-Group System