The impact of a closed-loop electronic blood transfusion system on transfusion errors and staff time in a children's hospital

ObjectivesTo assess the impact of a closed-loop electronic blood transfusion system on transfusion errors and staff time.Materials and methodsBefore and after study in all wards of a children's hospital, involving patients and staff of all the wards. The changes were closed-loop electronic blood transfusion, barcode patient identification, electronic blood transfusion administration records and error pop-up warning. The main outcome measures were percentage of blood transfusion errors, time spent on transfusion tasks.ResultsTransfusion errors were identified in 3.87% of 2556 blood transfusion orders pre-intervention and 0.78% of 2577 orders afterwards (P < 0.01). Phlebotomists, nurses, and physicians may make mistakes, including wrong blood type when apply for blood, wrong patient when blood draw or transfusion, wrong dose when apply for blood and the wrong tube label when blood draw or cross-matching, which are significantly reduced after change (1.09% vs 0.31%, 1.13% vs 0%, 0.31% vs 0%, 1.33% vs.0.78%, P < 0.01). Time spent on blood apply was 5.3 ± 1.2 min, hand over blood bag at the transfusion department was 14.9 ± 1.4 min and blood transfusion was 15.8 ± 2.4 min. Time per transfusion round decreased to 2.6 ± 1.0 min, 6.3 ± 1.6 min and 9.3 ± 2.2 min respectively (P < 0.01).ConclusionsA closed-loop electronic blood transfusion, barcode patient identification and error pop-up warning reduced transfusion errors, and increased confirmation of patient and blood types identity before transfusion. Time spent on blood transfusion tasks reduced.