The burden of blood transfusion: a utilization and economic analysis – a pilot study in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA)

Figures & data

Table 1. Patient characteristics.

	n	Mean	(SD)
Age	120	59.9	13.8
Hgb	120	7.9	0.8
PRBC units transfused	120	2.0	0.4
Gender: N (Pct)
Female	85 (71)
Male	35 (29)
Race/ethnicity N (Pct)
Caucasian	40 (33)
African American	73 (61)
Other or unknown	7 (6)

Table 2. Transfusion characteristics*.

	n	Mean	(SD)	Range
Mean time for Patient Evaluation
		66	34	24–176
Transfusion of 1 PRBC unit, n = 10
Time: Transfusion of unit 1	10	108	11	85–120
Time: Patient visit to facility	10	213	45	135–290
Transfusion of 2 PRBC unit, n = 98
Time: Transfusion of unit 1	98	101	13	75–130
Time: Transfusion of unit 2	98	101	18	48–205
Time: Patient visit to facility	98	322	44	240–465
Transfusion of 3 PRBC unit, n = 12
Time: Transfusion of unit 1	12	98	8	85–110
Time: Transfusion of unit 2	12	101	9	90–125
Time: Transfusion of unit 3	12	98	15	70–130
Time: Patient visit to facility	12	411	49	340–490

*Note all times measured in minutes.

Table 3. Transfusion-related labor cost.

All transfusions	n	Mean cost	Range
Transfusion of 1 PRBC unit
Transfusion of unit 1	10	$49.33	$38.82–$54.81
Transfusion of 2 PRBC units
Transfusion of unit 1	98	$46.13	$34.25–$59.38
Transfusion of unit 2	98	$46.13	$21.92–$93.63
Total time for 2 units	98	$92.13
Transfusion of 3 PRBC units
Transfusion of unit 1	12	$44.76	$38.82–$50.24
Transfusion of unit 2	12	$46.13	$41.11–$57.09
Transfusion of unit 3	12	$44.76	$31.97–$59.38
Total time for 3 units		$135.65

Notes: $57,000/y, 2080 contract hours, $0.467/min. Does not include benefits. Also cost analysis does not include overhead or any laboratory medicine costs.

Table 4. Estimated fully loaded bundled cost for transfusion of one unit of PRBCs in a Tertiary Community Medical Center.

	Testing		Product and Product Preparation		Infusion		Total PRBC Unit Cost
Overhead	9.3%	$ 56.46	19.1%	$115.95	16.9%	$102.59	45.3%	$275.00
Direct materials	1.0%	$ 5.37	18.0%	$ 96.69	5.2%	$ 27.93	24.2%	$130.00
Labor (variable and direct)	9.7%	$ 60.90	12.9%	$ 80.99	7.9%	$ 49.60	30.5%	$191.49
Totals	20.0%	$122.73	50.0%	$293.63	30.0%	$180.13	100.0%	$596.49