title: Discarded cellular components and the technical efficiency of component preparation.
abstract: Given increasing cost pressures, the need to improve the technical efficiency of the production chain used for collected blood in blood banking should be recognised. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to study the relationship between discard rates and technical efficiency. Whole-blood (WB) collections, aphaeresis-platelets, produced and discarded red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets (PLTs) were included in the analyses. Technical efficiency tended to be higher when the proportion of the total of RBC and PLT discards from WB collections was low. In DEA modelling, the choice of relevant input and output variables is one of the most important factors affecting the validity of the results. Discarded components should not be ignored in analyses of efficiency, because lost production output also has monetary value.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Kivihaantie 7, 00310 Helsinki, Finland. marketta.veihola@bts.redcross.fi
authors.forename: Marketta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veihola
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aroviita
authors.forename: Riitta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kekomäki
authors.forename: Miika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linna
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sintonen
mesh_terms: D001771:Blood Banks; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001793:Blood Preservation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010976:Platelet Count; D010983:Plateletpheresis