Optimizing donor scheduling before recruitment: An effective approach to increasing apheresis platelet collections

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Typical approach for increasing apheresis platelet collections is to recruit new donors. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of an alternative strategy: optimizing donor scheduling, prior to recruitment, at a hospital-based blood donor center. METHODS: Analysis of collections, during the 89 consecutive months since opening of donor center, was performed. Linear regression and segmented time-series analyses were performed to calculate growth rates of collections and to test for statistical differences, respectively. RESULTS: Pre-intervention donor scheduling capacity was 39/month. In the absence of active donor recruitment, during the first 29 months, the number of collections rose gradually to 24/month (growth-rate of 0.70/month). However, between month-30 and -55, collections exhibited a plateau at 25.6 ± 3.0 (growth-rate of -0.09/month) (p<0.0001). This plateau-phase coincided with donor schedule approaching saturation (65.6 ± 7.6% schedule booked). Scheduling capacity was increased by following two interventions: adding an apheresis instrument (month-56) and adding two more collection days/week (month-72). Consequently, the scheduling capacity increased to 130/month. Post-interventions, apheresis platelet collections between month-56 and -81 exhibited a spontaneous renewed growth at a rate of 0.62/month (p<0.0001), in absence of active donor recruitment. Active donor recruitment in month-82 and -86, when the donor schedule had been optimized to accommodate further growth, resulted in a dramatic but transient surge in collections. CONCLUSION: Apheresis platelet collections plateau at nearly 2/3(rd) of the scheduling capacity. Optimizing the scheduling capacity prior to active donor recruitment is an effective strategy to increase platelet collections at a hospital-based donor center.