A decentralized information and control system for blood management

The design of information systems for decentralized control of organizations has been criticized as being less effective than information systems designed for centralized control. This paper describes a decentralized information system developed for a regional blood service organization. The information system was found to be effective in improving performance in professional and social objectives while having little effect on administrative objectives. In particular, two quality objectives, relating to more widespread use of the blood component red cells and freshness of the units of blood, were significantly improved. Furthermore, the percentage of blood wasted was dramatically reduced. A crucial component of the entire implementation procedure involved the establishment of a peer evaluation committee to monitor progress. Experiences from implementation of the system help form the conclusion that a decentralized performance measure information system can be a vital aid in achieving certain objectives in a highly professional organization.