key: cord-0846002-8ktp3lr4
authors: Booth, Garrett S; Gehrie, Eric A; Tormey, Christopher A; Sanford, Kimberly W
title: Specimens Received as a Critical Indicator for Blood Bank Preparedness in the SARS-CoV-2 Era
date: 2020-07-25
journal: Am J Clin Pathol
DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/aqaa129
sha: fb97dbb0ad69245efc18bee2211e3f9409524282
doc_id: 846002
cord_uid: 8ktp3lr4

nan

The recently published manuscript by Gehrie and colleagues 1 highlights the varying pressures faced by academic medical centers during the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Building on their benchmarks for preparedness, I would further advocate for blood banks to focus on the preanalytic total number of specimens received to better understand and anticipate the evolving pressures that individual diagnostic laboratories face in the ongoing pandemic ❚Figure 1❚. To best determine blood inventory stocking levels, the trend for total number of specimens received can be overlaid onto state, county, and regional data related to cessation of elective surgical procedures. 2 These data can help guide inventory level management during the pandemic, noting that there remains a significant challenge for blood collection centers to maintain critical nationwide blood inventories. 3 As the authors point out, determining blood inventory stocks at Level 1 trauma centers during summer months demonstrates an additional complexity. 1 I agree that daily review of blood products used during massive transfusion protocol activations can serve as an additional tool to communicate the appropriate use of limited biologic products ❚Table 1❚. 4 The authors are to be congratulated for their important contribution to the medical literature, which helps to ensure that scarce medical resources such as blood are utilized in an evidence-based fashion while maintaining adequate supply lines. 2018  31  16  12  21  24  22  13  27  17  10  25  20  2019  11  10  16  16  19  21  24  30  28  20  19  20  2020  17  19  16  15  32 

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