Therapeutic Phlebotomy as a Daycare Procedure in the Department of Transfusion Medicine as Compared to the Admission-based Procedure: A Qualitative Study on Patient’s Perspective

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Therapeutic phlebotomy procedure, being very similar to blood donation, is currently done in various hospitals in the world in the ward or a daycare procedure room or a blood bank or an apheresis center as these facilities know the mechanics of it as well as are well equipped and trained for blood collection. Our institute started doing it in the blood center in the past couple of years. This study was performed to understand the patients’ perspectives on getting this procedure done in the blood bank compared to them getting these services in the ward side as was happening previously. Methodology: This was a qualitative-exploratory study done at the blood center and included adult patients who have undergone therapeutic phlebotomy in the blood center at least twice in the last 3 months. An in-depth interview in private on one to one basis was performed using a topic guide and necessary probes to get the information. Manual descriptive content was used to analyze the transcripts. Thematic analyses were performed. Results: Majority of the patients felt that they were comfortable getting the procedure done in a blood center compared to wards as it takes lesser time here (64%), better personal care and attention by the staff (52%), conducive attitude and friendliness of the healthcare staff (76%), better ambience (24%) and overall satisfaction (24%). Conclusion: The study has encouraging results with respect to patients; hence, more and more blood centers should explore this and convince the hospital administration to set the therapeutic phlebotomy facilities in the blood services.