[Epic Barcode Blood Administration feature]

We have recently gone live with Epic as our EMR and along with it the nursing folks decided to turn on the 'partial matching' feature offered by Epic. We are seriously re-evaluating the value of having this feature turned on as it provides a false impression to nursing that Epic is performing a more thorough match between patient an unit. After examining the documentation on the BCBA feature on Epics sharepoint site it is clear that all that is occuring is a crosscheck between the patient and any unit number result posted on a patient from the lab system.

I would like to know if any other sites currently have Epic as their EMR and how they handle blood administration. Do you still document on paper? Are you using the BCBA feature? Does your site document vitals in Epic via the blood administration flow sheet?

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Label Recheck Documentation Transfusion Service]

We have a second individual perform a visual inspection of the generated label and compare it to the original label. Sunquest label check will only verify the ABO/Rh and expiration date/time of the generated label, but cannot verify if the rest of the label is correct.

[Special Testing-CMV negative]

We are currently printing our modified labels using the HemaTrax Standalone Software, and I have noticed that the modified labels for CMV negative units have the eye readable description of "Negative to antibodies to CMV" (special test code: N0008). Our supplier also uses the same special testing code of N0008 but their translation is "CMV antibody negative". I was wondering what other facilities are using as the translation for this special test.

[Validation of Digitrax Zebra 4M Plus Printers]

I don't think you need to validate the Zebra printer as it is just a piece of hardware, but the HemaTrax Labeling Software is what needs to be validated. After reviewing the validation plan provided by Digi-Trax I decided to write my own plans where I verify the full and half face label format, and then verify that the barcodes printed by the software are accurate for each quadrant.