An analysis of errors in blood component transfusion records with regard to quality improvement of data acquisition and to the performance of lookback and traceback procedures

BACKGROUND: Quality assurance of blood transfusion covers institutions, per sonnel, and procedures involved in preparing, issuing, and using blood comp onents. The accuracy of data related to blood component transfusions is a t ool for quality control in the transfusion service. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A study of the accuracy of data records of the tr ansfusion service at the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany, between June 1994 and May 1996 was carried out. All returned blood component transf usion report forms were examined for discrepancies between primary data rec ords and clinical transfusion reports. RESULSTS: Blood components (n = 49,224) from allogeneic and autologous dona tions, packed red cells, fresh-frozen plasma, and platelet components that had been issued for transfusion were included in this evaluation. For 27.3 percent of all components issued, no transfusion report was returned to the blood bank. For the remaining 35,786 units, errors were found in 3.8 perce nt of the records. For 1.24 percent of all components, discrepant informati on related to the recipient's identity or the component's status was found; this affected the feasibility of lookback or traceback searches. CONCLUSION: A remarkably high frequency of discrepancies exists between com puterized blood bank records and the information recorded on returned blood transfusion forms. The processes of data acquisition and entry must be inc luded in quality assurance efforts in transfusion medicine.