Abstract
Background: The financial burden of blood wastage in operating rooms of hospitals indicates the importance of managing blood consumption. Objectives: To determine the most influential factors affecting blood utilization management in operating rooms. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the operating rooms of the largest tertiary referral hospital in Southern Iran from September to November 2019. A researcher-made questionnaire was designed, validated, and completed by 185 related stakeholders. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Results: Model fit indices had acceptable values (P = 0.032). In the suggested model, resource allocation (coefficient = 0.81) and control (coefficient = 0.77) were determined as the two most impressive managerial dimensions of blood utilization management. In the resource allocation dimension, the most effective factors were found to be using trained and oriented personnel to inventory management principles and blood bag handling, storage, and transportation rules and providing in-hospital safe and standard blood transportation equipment. In the control dimension, the most influencing subject was evaluating and reporting the reasons for the date expiry of blood products. Conclusions: Implementing a stepwise evidence-based blood consumption program based on the most prioritized suggested initiatives can be highly cost-effective and presented as a practical guide for policymakers, especially in low socio-economic countries. Based on our results, focusing on using trained blood bank staff in all related parts and providing standard blood transportation equipment as well as attempting to minimize the number of discarded blood units in operating rooms can be highly effective in the reduction of blood wastage and improvement of blood consumption status.