Supply chain management in the blood

   The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC) is the launch customer for BloodHub, a new online ordering system and blood supply management solution.
   By deploying the BloodHub integrated blood supply service, the 85 hospitals served by the MVRBC will be able to order, track, and manage their blood and inventory of related products and components from within a single online portal.
   The Davenport, Iowa-based Blood Center began using BloodHub in June 2012 and has so far reported hospital benefits including fewer order and inventory errors, improved communication, increased productivity, and greater visibility of key metrics including order turnaround and fill rates.
   Part of the system includes a cross-matching function that allows hospitals and labs to manage supplies and inventory online even if they had no prior way to electronically manage those items. This integrates directly with the fulfillment services, part of which operates similarly to a load board.
   According to the MVRBC, the service has been able to integrate with the MVRBC’s blood manufacturing system, forming a more complete supply chain with supplier-to-customer visibility. The Blood Center’s processing and distribution center handles more than 250,000 units of blood components each year, all of which it said can be monitored by the BloodHub platform. – Geoff Whiting