[Standalone Blood Bank Data Backup System - is there one?]

Thanks! This is pretty much what we are doing - we want it to be as close to real time as possible.

[Standalone Blood Bank Data Backup System - is there one?]

Thanks! We are currently downloading patient info from our 12 hospitals to standalone PC's every 6 hours so are not printing either. But we are looking for a different software if available as we have some challenges with our current system (like we would like it to be real time with no delays - maybe asking too much but Hemocare used to be able to do it...)

[Standalone Blood Bank Data Backup System - is there one?]

Thanks - we can print Hematrax labels when Sunquest is down - the old manual process

[Standalone Blood Bank Data Backup System - is there one?]

What kind of reports are you printing? Daily, weekly? How many pages?

R1R2

Looking for software to download patient data to so that we can look up iinfo when our LIS is down

[Standalone Blood Bank Data Backup System - is there one?]

We have Sunquest and an effective non-tree killing downtime data backup does not exist. Does anyone know of any freestanding programs that are functional?

[Do you require a second specimen from a different draw when you have no history for a pre-transfusion candidate?]

And if you do - would you mind sharing your facility name?

We have this requirement at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerqu, NM.

Thanks!

[Temperature monitoring vendors]

Cheryl,

We also have Veriteq in our institution (University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX). However, we are having some issues and were wondering if you would be interested in talking to us.

Leo - be happy to talk to you! Your email did not work so call me at 505-841-1349.

Cheryl

[Monitoring Transfusions for In House Transport Patients]

What is your facility's policy on transporting patients (e.g., to Xray, from ER to the floor, etc) when a blood component is being transfused? Do you require licensed nurses? Do you train the transport staff in the recognition of reactions? How are patients monitored if they are in CT scan for an hour or more - are your radiology staff trained in reactions?

[Isensix Temperature Monitoring System]

I don't know this particular vendor but when we purchased ours (from Veriteq), the vendor provided a very in depth qualification protocol and was always there when I had questions. We qualified all aspects of the server (where the program resides) to the tune of slightly over 100 pages of fun filled steps. We are a multi site service so will have to qualify each logger at each site (mainly that the alarm goes off). Your vendor ought to supply you with a protocol that you can adapt if needed (personal opinon), it makes life a lot easier!

[Witnessing Blood Bank Draws]

Thanks for all the great responses!. Now, for those who require witnessing, do you also obtain a second specimen from a patient for whom you have no historical ABO RH result? Or do you transfuse based on a result from a solo draw?

[Witnessing Blood Bank Draws]

One of our facilities requires that if non-lab personnel draw samples for types and screens, that someone from the lab go to the bedside to witness the draw. Does anyone else do this or have you heard of it?

Thanks!

[Temperature monitoring vendors]

My institution is sending RFPs to vendors for a hospital-wide web based temperature and environmental monitoring system. I have asked to be present for the vendor demos. I would appreciate any suggestions regarding what features to look for and what questions to ask each vendor. The Blood Bank and laboratory would have loved to have had one of these systems years ago but since we always did such a good job manually, our administration didn't see the point in it. The reason administration is looking at this type of solution now is that pharmacy and dietary are having difficulty with Joint Commission requirements for temperature monitoring of units that are outside of their departments (i.e on nursing floors). Luckily, we found out about this and made our case for being included in the project.

We looked at several companies (including Rees) for our RFP. We chose Veriteq based on ease of use, flexibility, ability to install ourselves & cost. The company's data loggers are on the space station, batteries last 10+ years, the company itself is very customer service oriented (so are the others). We are a multi-site system, have the software in one location and data loggers (so far) in 4 others. The ability to self manage the system was important to us as we tend to move things around. Having a vendor come in is pricey. The software is incredibly easy to use.

[5 day plasma, the debate still rages!!]

University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Level 1 trauma service, has been using 5 day plasma for several years and saved a lot of $$ in wasted 24 hour FFP. Just know you can't assign a 5 day outdate to plasma that was procured by an "open" system apheresis - check with your donor service to be sure. Since we get plasma from several different sources, we automatically assign a 24 hour outdate to plasma obtained via apheresis.