Computer Approach to Hospital Blood Bank Inventory Control

Since February of 1967, the Yale‐New Haven Hospital's laboratory computer (IBM 1130) has been used for data acquisition and inventory control in the blood bank. The program has been designed to replace existing systems without adding personnel so that all procedures, including key punching and computer operation, are carried out by the blood bank technologists. Data are entered by a specially designed Hollerith card. Half of it, containing information that identifies each unit of blood by group and Rh, number, source, and expiration date, is key punched by a technologist at the time blood or blood products are received. The right half of the card is designed to accept data by a manual technic called Port‐A‐Punch. The daily report contains usage data by blood types and by clinical service. It also lists units transferred, outdated, or unaccounted for. This computer system has provided: (1) more accurate inventory data; (2) detailed usage statistics; (3) an increased awareness of outdating; (4) better blood utilization; and (5) time‐saving in record keeping. Far more important, each technologist has learned to use a new and important laboratory tool.