Blood Supply Disruption and Conservation Strategies for Hospitals

Februa ry 3, 2025 DHDTC DAL#: 25 - 01 Subject: Blood Supply Disruption and Conservation Strategies Dear Chief Executive Of ficer: H ealth care providers rely on blood products (e.g., whole blood, blood components including plasma, fresh frozen plasma, plasma frozen within 24 hours af ter phlebotomy, red blood cells, washed red blood cells, leukocyte - reduced red blood cells, granulocytes and cryoprecipitate and derivatives such as albumin and immune globulin) provided by independent, community - based suppliers. The holidays and recent events have led to a temporary, decreased availabi lity of blood products and strained the blood supply, i ncluding from a major provider of these products. This ha s led to challenges in maintainin g access to these essential suppli es. It is crucial for providers to adopt proactive s trategies to conserve blood supply stocks and ensure that available stock is used effectively and efficiently. This directive outlines conservation strategies tailored specifically for hospitals and diagnostic and treatment centers. These strategies aim to optimize the use of these stocks in cri tical situations. By implementing these measures, providers can maintain high standards of patient ca re while managing the current situation. C onservation Strategies I mmediately Begin to Inventory, Monitor, and T rack Usage: If not already doing so, implemen t systems to track the inventory of blood products at the sys tem, provider, and department level, as well as the volume used per provider and per patient, ensuring appropriate utilization and u tilization of products most soon to expi re. Dat a on cases where products are w ithheld should also be collected to refine future protocols. O ptimize Product Usage: To decrease blood product usage, consider strategies to optimize product usage protocols. In cases where smaller volumes are sufficient, use smaller amounts o f these blood products to reduce waste and conserve stock. Administe r the minimal necessary volume o f these products to stabilize patients before hospital transport and consider limiting usage in non - critic al cases. Thank you for your partnership. Please fo rward any questions regarding this guidance to hospinfo@health.ny.gov. Sincerely, Stephanie Shulman, DrPH, MS Direc tor, Division of Hospita ls and Diagnostic & T reatment Center