Informing patients when pre-transfusion testing shows that their blood contains red cell antibodies
A transfusion medicine physician in Pennsylvania reports that their blood bank is trying to find an effective way to notify patients when new blood group antibodies are identified. Currently, the technologist who worked on the case is responsible for sending the patient a card with a list of the antibodies that have been identified. Accompanying the card is a letter advising the patient to show the card if he/she is hospitalized in the future. They have encountered two problems in this process:
- They cannot be certain that all appropriate patients are notified by technologists.
- Patients do not seem to remember to show this card upon subsequent admissions.
They are aware of a previous discussion from 2002, but would like to know if other blood banks have had more recent experience in this area, and would like to learn what approaches are successful.
The following comments have been submitted in response.
ADDENDA Oct. 28, 2010
- The Editors believe that the information in the previous discussions:
Furthermore, the links below are to what is being called the first HIPAA-compliant, online antibody registry in the United States.
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Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Senior Editor & Moderator
W. Tait Stevens, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator
Elizabeth M. St. Lezin, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Associate Editor & Moderator
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