A new study published in Vox Sanguinis, a leading journal in transfusion medicine, details how the Blood and Tissue Bank of Aragón (BTBA), Spain, maintained a sustainable blood supply by interconnecting blood management processes through advanced automation and software solutions.1 The study, spanning a decade (2013–2023), demonstrates how interconnected medical devices and IT systems from Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT), along with LHEMA software from Hemotic, helped BTBA increase efficiencies. This enabled optimized blood processing, improved traceability, reduced waste, boosted plasma yield and enhanced staff satisfaction.
Blood centers globally face pressures from demographic changes, rising costs and evolving
treatment demands. For BTBA, the aging donor population and difficulty retaining younger
donors further strain the balance of blood supply and demand. This study presents
successfully implemented solutions to overcome many of these challenges.
By implementing Terumo’s BCT’s ecosystem of automated technologies and IT systems
alongside Hemotic’s LHEMA software, BTBA achieved notable improvements in productivity,
plasma recovery, and staff satisfaction. Terumo BCT technologies and software used include
the Reveos™ Automated Blood Processing System, TOMEs™ (Terumo Operational Medical
Equipment Software), the TSCD™-II Sterile Tubing Welder, and the Mirasol™ Pathogen
Reduction Technology (PRT) System.
Dr. Anna Isabel Pérez Aliaga, Blood Process Manager at BTBA, sums up the study,
“Automation not only helps operators by reducing manual tasks, it also enables blood
manufacturers to use software-based decision-making processes, bringing personalized
transfusion medicine closer to reality.”
Noteworthy findings from the study:
- Higher platelet and plasma recovery: Platelet concentrate (PC) production increased by 13.3%, with all PCs treated using pathogen reduction technology since 2020. An increase of approximately 1,000 liters of recovered plasma in 2023 versus 2015 was observed. The study also highlights BTBA's ability to balance protocols that produce two components (plasma and red blood cells) with three-component protocols (producing plasma, red blood cells, and interim platelet units) to maximize plasma and platelet recovery.
- Optimized stock management and zero platelet stock-outs: Despite fluctuating demand, BTBA reported no platelet stock-outs due to the ecosystem’s predictive capabilities, which forecast shortages and optimize blood collection efforts.
- Staff satisfaction: Automated systems reduced workload, minimized errors and improved workstation ergonomics, all benefits which BTBA expects to promote higher staff engagement. Moreover, streamlined training helped BTBA respond to high staff turnover observed in the past decade.
- Reduced platelet expiry rates: Platelet expiry dropped from 3.4% in 2015 to 0.2% in 2023 due to better stock management, automation and pathogen reduction technology.
- Improved safety and traceability: Automation reduced processing times and human error, while pathogen reduction technology ensured safer transfusions.
- Space efficiency and operational diversification: Terumo BCT’s compact systems allowed BTBA to diversify operations without needing additional space.
Dr. Sylvain Lacomble, VP Commercial EMEA, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, emphasized the importance of these innovations: “Blood centers are vital pillars of public health, and strengthening their capabilities is essential for building resilient and sustainable healthcare systems. Leveraging our medical and software technologies, BTBA has demonstrated the transformative benefits of integrating medical solutions into a unified, dynamic ecosystem, delivering healthcare that is reliable, responsive and resilient. We are proud to support their success in maximizing the impact of every drop of blood they collect."
Irene Ayerra, Founder and CEO of Hemotic, the startup that developed the LHEMA software, commented on the benefits of software integration: “The incorporation of our mathematical algorithms in the daily processes of the BTBA to optimize and facilitate decision-making has improved the overall efficiency of the center to meet the demand for platelet concentrates, without expiration, reduce by more than half the IPUs discarded, increase the volume of plasma recovered and supply the product earlier and with higher quality. All this with cost savings for the center, and thanks to easy-to-use, intuitive and up-to-date software."
The BTBA’s success underscores the opportunities for blood centers worldwide to adopt similar ecosystems. The study’s insights into 10 years of data highlight the transformative potential of integrated technology for blood banking and transfusion medicine.
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1 Pérez Aliaga AI, Ayerra I, Cardoso M, et al. An ecosystem of interconnected technologies to increase efficiencies in blood establishments: the example of the Blood and Tissue Bank of Aragón, Spain. Vox Sang. Published online October 23, 2024. doi: 10.1111/vox.13752.
Reveos™, TOMEs™, and TSCD™ are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Terumo BCT, Inc. in the
United States and/or other countries. See
TerumoBCT.com/trademarks for details.
Mirasol™ is either a registered trademark or a trademark of Terumo BCT Biotechnologies, LLC in the United
States and/or other countries. See
TerumoBCT.com/trademarks for details.