I am at a large level 1 trauma center. In addition, we have an active liver transplant program among other specialties such as a 40+ bed NICU. Our organization is now using benchmarking to force a reduction in FTEs. They are using a vendor called Truven who is claiming we need to cut out staff by one third. Our biggest problem is that we not physically located anywhere close to our general lab. Our Transfusion Service is located in the main patient building while our general lab sits in its own separate building about 1 block away on the same campus. It is one thing to cut FTEs when you have generalists who can cross train and be quickly pulled from general lab. What do you do when you have no other lab staff to pull from? I am hoping to identify if there are any other facilities who are in a similar boat, i.e. they operate a Transfusion Service that is isolated from the rest of the lab. Also, do other folks have experience with benchmarking? When you have no idea who they are benchmarking you to, how do you know if the "big wigs" are comparing you to the right per group?
