Transfusion medicine in Slovenia - Current status and future challenges

A short history of the blood transfusion activities in Slovenia is given, starting with the hommage to Dr. Janez Plecnik, a contributor to the famous experiment of the ABO blood groups discovery by Landsteiner in 1900. The organized blood transfusion services of Slovenia that celebrate the 60th anniversary in 2006 have been traditionally based on a system of unpaid voluntary blood donations which resulted, supported by the Red Cross activities, in satisfactory blood supply outcomes. Due to the increased quality and safety demands for blood products, the major changes and reorganization of the blood transfusion service in Slovenia started in 1990s. In this review, the current situation of blood transfusion services as well as of transfusion medicine in Slovenia is described. Details are given regarding the national legislation, public perception, guidelines, quality systems, accreditation, risk management, cost containment and control, hemovigilance and contingency plans, followed by specific information dealing with the national strategies for the management of immunological risk and for prevention of transmission of diseases by blood transfusion. Finally, the future development of the blood transfusion services of Slovenia is discussed, taking into account the circumstances that point into the direction of further centralization of processing, quality management and national data bases of blood donors and patients.