University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital: Overview

Major academic medical center reduces blood utilization 29%, saves $3.5 million in 3 years while improving patient outcomes.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital (UABH) faced a 60% increase in blood use from 1997 to 2006. During the same period, blood collections fell far short of meeting the needs of the hospital and the state as a whole.  Consequently, UABH experienced increasing acquisition costs and challenges associated with purchasing blood from multiple vendors to maintain adequate supplies. As the fourth largest blood consumer in the country, the UABH staff was highly motivated to reduce blood utilization.  After internal attempts to accomplish this goal produced marginal results, UABH leaders realized that external expertise was needed to significantly reduce blood use.

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