A blood bank colleague in a Washington (state) hospital transfusion service reports that they are looking for a simple computerized method of inventory management, so that they do not need to purchase an expensive blood bank computer system. They believe that all they need is merely a blood product inventory system. She reports the following about her hospital's transfusion service:

1. The hospital laboratory does NOT perform any ABO/Rh testing, antibody detection testing or crossmatching. All pretransfusion testing is performed by a central blood bank that serves several hospitals in their metropolitan area.
2. The hospital typically does not receive blood products until a pretransfusion sample has been sent to the local blood supplier. Upon completing the pretransfusion testing, the blood supplier ships the requested blood products via taxi. Upon receipt by the hospital, the blood products are logged into a handwritten logbook and placed in an appropriate storage appliance until the floor or OR retrieve the product. Upon retrieving the product, the individual taking the product logs the products out; by signing in the logbook they document which products they took.
3. The platelet and plasma inventory is managed the same way as the RBC inventory, using a handwritten logbook.
4. If a patient needs an emergency transfusion and there is not enough time to get a patient sample to the central blood bank for testing, a trauma pack of group O RBCs can be issued. They also keep some platelets and FFP in house for emergency use. They do not do STAT crossmatching.

The inquiring colleague would appreciate suggestions as to how her hospital might update the management of its blood product inventory.

Please submit comments to the e-Network Forum.

Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator

W. Tait Stevens, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Assistant Editor & Moderator