Kaohsiung Blood Center,Taiwan Blood Services Foundation Kaohsoung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Republic of China)
Background/Case Studies: Timely blood donation management requires real-time data on both collection progress and delivery status. Manual methods often fail to provide up-to-date information and respond timely and effectively. To overcome this, we developed and implemented two interactive dashboards using Microsoft Power BI and in-house software to enhance transparency, situational awareness, and decision-making.
Study
Design/Methods: We integrated real-time data sources, including the Blood Management System SQL database, GPS tracking, and IoT temperature sensors. The first dashboard, the Real-Time Blood Donation Progress Dashboard, displays daily status across all mobile drives and fixed sites, featuring animated charts, goal achievement rates, and alerts for underperforming locations.
The second dashboard, the Blood Supply and Delivery Tracking Dashboard, monitors delivery routes in real time, featuring continuous temperature tracking and automated delivery confirmation to enhance cold chain quality assurance.
Results/Findings: These tools significantly enhanced operational visibility and management efficiency. Staff could monitor site progress and promptly adjust manpower or extend collection hours, improving goal achievement and reducing waste.
From Jan–Jun 2024 (before implementation), 1,288 weekend drives had an average achievement rate of 95.0% for blood collection (lowest: 91.3%). From Jul–Dec 2024 (after implementation), 1,344 weekend drives achieved 98.3% for blood collection (highest: 101.5% in October), and response time to abnormal events dropped by 50%.
The Delivery Tracking Dashboard reduced cold chain risks by providing real-time monitoring and instant alerts. Automatic delivery confirmation improved communication and reduced errors. Among the 163 hospitals, a total of 12 delays or errors were recorded in 2024 prior to system deployment. Since the system went live in September 2024, no delays or errors have been reported. The implementation significantly enhanced awareness, response time, and coordination among hospitals, logistics teams, and the blood center.
Conclusions: This project highlights the proven value of real-time dashboards in blood operations. By leveraging Microsoft Power BI and custom-developed software, we created scalable tools that improved transparency, agility, and quality control.
These systems optimized collection and delivery processes and provided actionable insights, enabling faster, smarter decisions. Not only the blood center itself but also the 163 hospitals all could benefit from this creative solution. Future enhancements may focus on predictive analytics and AI-driven intelligent alert mechanisms to further boost real-time responsiveness and preventive actions.
