The interface between blood preparation and use in Uganda

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The interface between preparation and use of blood impacts directly on the outcome of hemotherapy. The present study explores the knowledge and opinions of key players at, practical realities at, and quality improvement strategies of this interface. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We surveyed clinicians (n = 81) and blood bank staff (n = 25) to assess their knowledge on key issues in their counterparts' working domains, the turnaround time on effecting a blood order from a hospital transfusion laboratory and strategies to improve communication of blood needs to blood banks. RESULTS: Out of 81 clinicians, 20 knew the four available blood products while only 17 knew the three uses of these products. Twenty-three blood bank staff reported the patient's condition as the main factor on which blood orders are based. Forty-four (54.3%) clinicians reported reception of a blood product within an hour of placing the order. Addressing infrastructure and human resource were some of the strategies suggested to improve this step of the transfusion chain. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of staff at the extreme ends of the clinical interface in their counterparts' working domain is far from adequate. However, they have well formed opinions on strategies to improve this interface.

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