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. 1996 May 15;154(10):1501–1508.

Cost of allogeneic and autologous blood transfusion in Canada. Canadian Cost of Transfusion Study Group.

R Tretiak 1, A Laupacis 1, M Rivière 1, K McKerracher 1, E Souêtre 1
PMCID: PMC1487839  PMID: 8625000

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cost, from a societal perspective, of blood transfusion in Canada. STUDY DESIGN: Cost-structure analysis. SETTING: Data were collected from eight hospitals and from six blood centres operated by the Canadian Red Cross Society in four provinces. OUTCOME MEASURES: Costs associated with four stages of transfusion-- collection, production, distribution and delivery--in 1933 were assessed. Costs were divided into the following categories; personnel, purchases, external services, overhead, donors' time, patients' time (for autologous transfusion), wastage and infection. RESULTS: The mean overall cost of a transfusion performed on an inpatient basis was $210 per unit of red blood cells for an allogeneic transfusion and $338 per unit of blood for an autologous transfusion. The mean cost of an allogeneic transfusion performed on an outpatient basis was $280 per unit of red blood cells. CONCLUSION: The costs determined in this study can be used in future studies comparing the cost-effectiveness of allogeneic transfusion with that of alternative methods.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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