title: [Cost analysis of patient blood management].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient blood management (PBM) is a multidisciplinary approach focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of preoperative anaemia, the minimisation of blood loss, and the optimisation of the patient-specific anaemia reserve to improve clinical outcomes. Economic aspects of PBM have not yet been sufficiently analysed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to analyse the costs associated with the clinical principles of PBM and the project costs associated with the implementation of a PBM program from an institutional perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient-related costs of materials and services were analysed at the University Hospital Frankfurt for 2013. Personnel costs of all major processes were quantified based on the time required to perform each step. Furthermore, general project costs of the implementation phase were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Direct costs of transfusing a single unit of red blood cells can be calculated to a minimum of €147.43. PBM-associated costs varied depending on individual patient requirements. The following costs per patient were calculated: diagnosis of preoperative anaemia €48.69-123.88; treatment of preoperative anaemia (including iron-deficiency anaemia and megaloblastic anaemia) €12.61-127.99; minimising perioperative blood loss (including point-of-care diagnostics, coagulation management and cell salvage) €3.39-1,901.81; and costs associated with the optimisation of the tolerance to anaemia (including patient monitoring and volume therapy) €28.62. General project costs associated with the implementation of PBM were €24,998.24.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PBM combines various alternatives to the transfusion of red blood cells and improves clinical outcome. Costs of PBM vary from institution to institution and depend on the extent to which different aspects of PBM have been implemented. The quantification of costs associated with PBM is essential in order to assess the economic impact of PBM, and thereby, to efficiently re-allocate health care resources. Costs were determined at a single university hospital. Thus, further analyses of both the costs of transfusion and the costs of PBM-principles will be necessary to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of PBM.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland. adina.kleinerueschkamp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kleinerüschkamp
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zacharowski
authors.affiliation: Dezernat 1, Finanz- und Rechnungswesen, Abteilung Operatives Controlling, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ettwein
authors.affiliation: DRK Blutspendedienst Baden-Württemberg Hessen, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhämatologie, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: DRK Blutspendedienst Baden-Württemberg Hessen, Institut für Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhämatologie, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geisen
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland. patrick.meybohm@kgu.de.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meybohm
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000191:economics*; D003363:Cost Control; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000191:economics; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000191:economics*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000191:economics; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anaemia; Costs; Patient blood management; Project management; Transfusion