Nearly 7,000 units of platelets are needed daily in the U.S., and platelet transfusions increased by 15.8% from 2017 to 2019. This increase in platelet transfusions along with the implementation of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) guidance on platelet bacterial risk control strategies in October 2021 may impact platelet inventory and availability. A taskforce of transfusion medicine physicians worked with the Consortium for Blood Availability and the AABB to design a 27 question online survey to obtain nationwide data in U.S. hospitals. The survey included questions on platelet inventory management and wastage and the use of low dose platelets. The survey was distributed to over 995 hospitals; 481 hospitals completed the survey—21.6%, 53.2%, and 25.2% characterized as small, medium, and large hospitals respectively. Platelet utilization was especially high in hospitals with stem cell and organ transplantation. One quarter of the responding hospitals did not have a policy in place for platelet transfusion thresholds. The majority of hospitals outdated less than 10% of platelets; hospitals that stocked 1 to 5 platelet units had the highest outdate rates. Only 10% of hospitals used rapid tests or secondary cultures to extend the shelf life of platelets. Almost a quarter of hospitals reported insufficient platelet inventory once or more a month leading 18.7% of hospitals to report delays in surgeries and 31.3% to report delays in platelet transfusions. This survey highlights the need for further education on platelet guidelines, need for changes in inventory management, and increased efforts of blood suppliers to work with local hospitals.
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