Unit Cost of Blood Collection , National Blood Centre, Thai Red Cross Society

Abstract

Background and Objectives: National Blood Centre's major responsibility is to collect safe and adeqruate blood from voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors. In addition, supporting services and various products such as blood bags, blood products and blood group anti-sera are also available. To maximize the effciency and effioacy, the unit cost of blood collection is essential for the
Management's decision. This study aims to calculate the unit cast of blood collection both in-house and at the mobile units as well as to seek the appropriate way to reduce the blood collection unit cost. Materials and Methods: The cost was categorized by the management cost and by the production and process cost. Outcome: The unit cost of blood collection is 124.70 baht (exclusive
of blood bag). In-house unit cost is 86.08 baht (exolusive of blood bag) and mobile unit cost is 144.67 baht (exclusive of blood bag). Thus, the unit cost of mobile blood collection is 58.59 baht (or equivalent to 68.06%) higher than that of in-house collection. Conclusion: The higher unit cost comes from the cost of vehicle and traveling time back and forth between National Blood Centre
and collection sites. To reduce the cost, the campaign should be launched to get more in-house blood donors and to get more donors at each mobile session as well.