BLOOD COMPONENTS: Instituting a thawed plasma procedure: it just makes sense and saves cents

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this time-series study were to elucidate the impact of a thawed plasma standard operating procedure (TP SOP) on plasma wastage and on cost savings. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study compared plasma wastage for 1 year before versus 1 year after implementation of a TP SOP. RESULTS: The plasma wastage and discard declined 79.7 and 64.9%, respectively, with a cost savings of $15,654.79 during the 1 year after implementation of the TP SOP. The risk that a unit of plasma would be wasted decreased 86.2% from Year 1 to Year 2 and the risk that a unit of plasma would be discarded decreased 76.3% from Year 1 to Year 2. CONCLUSION: Our study showed the positive, sustained, impact of implementing a TP SOP. Twelve months after introducing the SOP our Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine Services' plasma wastage and discard were dramatically reduced, saving thousands of dollars. Initiating a TP SOP just makes sense; it is easy to implement, conserves plasma, and saves cents.