GUY

Our old policy was that a 20% or more drop in the systolic (or a 10% drop, if the baseline was 100 or less) indicated the need for a transfusion reaction workup. Our new policy is that the physician has the sole responsibility for determing the need for a transfusion reaction workup. If I feel a transfusion needs to be worked up, I'll ask the pathologist to exert influence on the physician. This has cut down the number of transfusion reaction workups.

We also eliminated all lab-issued filters after going 100% leuko reduced.

The standards call for all suspected transfusion reactions to be called to the lab, whether the physician considers it a reaction or not. Our pathologist says that only the physician can decide if it is a suspected transfusion reaction. We are going in circles on this. How does your hospital handle this? Guy L. Jones Blood Bank Central Texas Medical Center

If the post parnum ab screen is positive, and the patient has already received rhogam, and the pattern is consistent with rhogam, we call the Doctor to see if they want the antibody identified.

RHOGAM is the only manufactered product this BB handles.

We do weak D testing on 1. All Rh neg women of child bearing age (11-55) 2. All Rh neg cord bloods (newborns) 8)