Blood Bank announces new specimen collection requirements

To keep patients safe and minimize the risk of an incompatible blood transfusion, the Blood Bank will implement a new process Aug. 7. Blood will be released when one of these two criteria are met:

• A single Blood Bank specimen was drawn using positive patient identification (PPID)
• The patient’s blood type is already on record in the Blood Bank

PPID is an electronic verification system that involves scanning the patient’s wristband, printing labels beside the patient and scanning the specimens after they are drawn, in the patient’s presence. All steps must be followed for a sample to qualify as being collected using PPID. PPID is currently is available for inpatients and in Pre-Admission Testing and in the Emergency Department. It is not available in ambulatory areas, operating rooms or outpatient draw stations.

Blood product transfusion orders will require a second specimen to confirm ABO/Rh when:

• Proper PPID is not used to draw the first specimen
• The Blood Bank does not have a record of a patient’s blood type in the Softbank computer system

In these situations, the Blood Bank will contact the patient’s care team and request a new sample. During emergencies when a second sample cannot be drawn, emergency blood may be released.