Puget Sound Blood Center is increasing patient safety and hospital efficiency with a new blood-distribution process and a telehealth technology developed by ConnectMD.

Puget Sound Blood Center executives say the center is a recognized leader in transfusion medicine and the world's largest transfusion service.

ConnectMD, which provides telehealth connectivity and services throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, partnered with the blood center, to enable hospitals with the ability to quickly and securely access blood and blood components at the point-of-use. The new system will launch at Swedish Medical Center - Cherry Hill Campus this month.

"Similar to modern manufacturing processes, the new distribution system allows blood to be available in an efficient just-in-time model, instead of preparing, transporting and storing patient-specific blood components that may never be transfused," said James P. AuBuchon, MD, president and CEO, Puget Sound Blood Center.

ConnectMD provides the blood center with a direct connection to the medical facilities that are members of the ConnectMD medical network. Any medical facilities not on ConnectMD's network will be connected to the blood center through a virtual private network (VPN).

The blood distribution devices of the blood center's hospitals are stocked with an appropriate inventory of red blood cells and plasma. When a hospital patient requires a transfusion, blood is electronically cross-matched for them by the blood center.

Through the connection provided by ConnectMD, the appropriate blood components in the hospital's blood distribution device are automatically assigned to the patient. When those components are needed, a trained medical professional with secure access simply inputs the patient's information into the blood distribution device and the proper component is dispensed.

"Patient safety is increased because human error is greatly reduced by having the automated technology manage the process while ensuring blood is available instantly, without time required to transport it from the blood center to the hospital," said Sandy Kukla, a nurse and senior program manager for GCI Connect MD.