A Study on the Blood Processing Costs in Hospital Blood Banks

Um, Tae Hyun; Cho, Chong Rae; Whang, Dong Hee; Shin, Bo Moon; Han, Tae Hee; Cha, Young Joo

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The blood processing works are composed of phlebotomy, donor testing, manufacturing, storage, transportation, and quality control. Among these, storage, transportation and quality control are done partially at the blood collection centers and finally accomplished at the hospital blood banks. We tried to analyze blood processing costs in hospital blood banks.
METHODS
Blood processing costs are divided into physician works, practice expenses, and professional liability insurance according to RBRVS (Resource-Based Relative Value Scale). Physician works were analyzed according to the study of the 'Physician work RBRVS committee of the Korean society for laboratory medicine'. For the practice expenses, three university hospital blood banks data were analyzed. The costs for the blood supply of small clinics or hospitals without blood banks were investigated by questionnaire.
RESULTS
Comprehensive works of physician were such as laboratory administration, quality control, preparation of procedure manual, education, quality improvement control. Specific works of physician were such as supervision over technologists, analysis of quality control data, management of blood inventory, storage and issue, blood utilization review, management of adverse transfusion reaction, blood return and disposal. As for one unit of blood, the standard labor time of technologists was 28.8 minutes (which is equivalent of 7,680 won) and the mean equipment cost was 592 won. The mean cost of small clinics or hospitals for blood supply was 12,150 won.
CONCLUSION
The reimbursement of blood processing cost for the hospital blood bank would contribute to stable blood bank administration, stable blood supply and safe transfusion.