Blood Bank Guy Essentials Podcast 077CE: Implementing Pathogen-reduced Platelets with Pat Kopko
Oct 17, 2019
Dr. Pat Kopko, a transfusion medicine physician at UC San Diego and an early adopter of pathogen-reduced platelets, shares insightful lessons from her hospital's 2017 implementation. She discusses the impetus behind adopting this technology, including previous septic transfusion experiences, and the importance of safety culture. Pat explains challenges faced with blood suppliers, operational readiness, and the phased strategy for prioritizing patients. Ethical considerations in patient care and practical choices around supply and matching are highlighted, paving the way for future advancements in transfusion safety.
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Fund Safety By Redeploying Savings
- Use existing safety savings to fund new safety initiatives.
- UCSD repurposed transfusion‑reduction savings on red cells to pay for pathogen‑reduced platelets.
Phase Rollout By Highest Risk Groups
- Prioritize PR platelets for patient groups at highest risk, not everyone at once.
- UCSD first protected outpatient cancer and neutropenic patients based on published risk data.
Ambitious Goals Met With Supplier Pressure
- UCSD set a goal to reach over 90% PR platelets within six months but initially hit 53%.
- They pressured their blood supplier to optimize manufacturing to meet higher demand.