Blood Programs Coordinating Office (BPCO)

The Blood Programs Coordinating Office (BPCO) was established in Fall 2005 by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOH-LTC).

The BPCO is mandated to manage Ontario’s relationship with the Canadian Blood Services (CBS). The BPCO supports the Minister of Health, who is a corporate member of CBS, by providing advice and guidance regarding funding, strategic direction, Board of Director appointments and issues management.

The BPCO also provides leadership and coordination in the development and implementation of the provincial Blood Utilization Strategy. The strategy was developed with the objective of optimizing the safe use of blood and blood products in Ontario hospitals and consequently achieving cost savings related to transfusion. Ontario wanted to ensure that blood and blood products were available when needed, look for efficiencies in the system and standardize utilization practices.

The Strategy builds on the successes of projects that were previously funded through the province’s Blood Conservation and Blood Management (BCBM) program. Many of these projects were continued and expanded to form part of the current strategy such as the Ontario Transfusion Coordinators (ONTraC) program and the Bloody Easy Handbook and e-Learning educational tools.

Strategic blood management encompasses the evaluation of current product utilization patterns to identify opportunities to reduce wastage; to address variations in transfusion practice; and to implement blood management programs to optimize use. In addition to its financial benefits, strategic blood management will improve clinical outcomes and decrease risk exposure.

As a first step, monitoring and benchmarking of blood utilization patterns is undertaken to identify potential areas for improvement. Options for improved management can then be designed and targeted and results evaluated. Elements of a blood management program can range from simply raising awareness to the implementation of blood conservation techniques, transfusion alternatives or gate keeping mechanisms to control use.

In order to implement and support these activities the BPCO has established the Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network (ORBCoN) to provide an organized and integrated approach to blood management and the Ontario Blood Advisory Committee (OBAC) to serve as a broad based external advisory group to the MOHLTC on all matters related to transfusion medicine.

The Blood Programs Coordinating Office is excited about activities already underway through ministry funding including ORBCoN, ONTraC, the development of a provincial website and the expansion of Ontario’s participation in the Transfusion Transmitted Injuries Surveillance System (TTISS) and Transfusion Errors Surveillance System (TESS).   Please look out for future updates on other BPCO activities.