Case Study: In-House Innovation for Improved Efficiency, Reduced Errors & Cost Savings

Background:

A donor sample is collected with every plasma procedure. Roughly half of the plasma collection industry was assembling a tube holder, a luer adaptor and a top sleeve to prepare a device for sample collection – essentially three parts had to be assembled. The other half of the industry was using an alternate design: purchasing two parts and putting it together at the time of sample collection. Both assembly processes required extra time and sometimes resulted in errors impacting quality and operator safety.

Plan:

In response, HemaSource worked with a supplier to develop and manufacture a 3-in-1 Combination Holder to replace the inefficient three and two component assembly. A sterile, integrated and molded design, the device provides the same functionality with no assembly required, increased efficiency and reduced potential for error.

Results:

The new design has experienced swift, robust adoption while demonstrating a significant improvement in the overall process – reducing time required and errors while improving operator safety. In addition, the device reduces the cost of donor sampling by an average of 10 to 15 percent.