[Computerization of hospital blood banks in France: what has been done and what remains to be done]

Abstract

French regulation requires hospital blood banks to have data processing of their blood transfusion activities. In order to help them to achieve this goal, guidelines were published by an official working party. For their diffusion, a study was launched to assess current gaps between guidelines and reality. Analysis of the first forty responses shows: 1) computerization is already set up for main blood banks and is going well for the others; 2) most of guideline functionalities are now working in main blood banks; but some points need specific developments; 3) taken as a whole, other blood banks are further from guideline requirements, even if some have already reached the goal; 4) guidelines are able to point out to all hospital blood banks what remains to be done.