Hospital Distribution of Blood Components and Products

Provincial Redistribution Program for Transfusion Services in Ontario

The Provincial Redistribution Program was established to provide a mechanism for hospitals to safely redistribute blood components and plasma protein and related products(PPRP) with an aim of reducing the overall number of components and PPRP that outdate at Ontario Hospitals.

The Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network (ORBCoN) and the Factor Concentration Redistribution Program (FCRP) collaborated with stakeholders in Ontario and other provincial blood offices to validate shipping containers used by hospitals. These containers are crucial for redistributing and transferring blood components and PPRP between facilities. By implementing these strategies, ORBCoN and FCRP have maximized utilization, minimized wastage, and helped ensure safe and equitable access to all products for all patients.

In 2008, hospitals in Ontario were provided with Credo ProMed/GoldenHourTM shipping containers, validated for redistribution purposes. Hospitals were also using the J82 and E38 shipping containers for distribution of blood components and PPRP. In 2017, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) introduced their new insulated shipping container (ISC) for dedicated CBS usage but continued to provide the J82 and E38 containers to hospitals for redistribution and transfers.

A provincial working group developed and evaluated the processes for redistributing blood components and PPRP. Standardized procedures included in this toolkit ensure the security and safety of the redistributed blood components and PPRP during shipment.

In 2017, ORBCoN collaborated with hospital sites to validate the J82 and E38 shipping containers. The purpose of the validation was to confirm that acceptable temperatures and traceability were maintained when redistributing or transferring blood components or PPRP between facilities with a new established packing configuration based on hospital pre-conditioning.

The redistribution toolkit:

• Guides hospitals in participating in the provincial redistribution program.
• Provides standardized process and procedure templates.
• Supports regulated practices for distribution including the transfer of blood components and PPRP with patients.
• Allows hospitals to tailor their practice to meet the hospital’s specific needs and comply to regulatory demands.
• Posts validation and verification reports pertaining to the redistribution program.