Clinical Lab Products magazine has published an article entitled “Building a Safer Blood Supply.” It discusses the ongoing challenges to maintaining an adequate and safe blood supply. The article provides insights from AABB as well as representatives from hospitals, blood centers, and their suppliers. Topics include:
- Blood shortages
- Staff shortages and automation
- Safeguarding the blood supply in storage
- The risks of transfusion
- Infectious diseases and the blood supply
Blood banks have dealt with issues such as seasonal blood shortages, scarcity of trained personnel, and controlling costs for a long time. However, newer developments mean additional challenges are being added to the original list. These include understanding and mitigating the risks of transfusions to patients as well the emergence of new pathogens. The outbreak of Zika virus is one example of a recently emerged risk to the blood supply. In the case of Zika virus, blood suppliers have had to address the challenge by performing additional testing or implementing pathogen reduction technologies.
In order to safeguard the blood supply in storage, an important element of risk reduction is the use of high-quality temperature-controlled storage equipment and processing devices. Systems such as these advance patient safety, compliance, and efficiency.
Risks to the safety of the blood supply are an ongoing challenge that requires continuous attention. Read “Building a Safer Blood Supply” from Clinical Lab Products magazine to learn more.
