Our current procedures for blood type (and anything including that) state that we need to do a patient re-type if there is no blood type history on the patient. We will just do a forward type on the current specimen. We are going to be setting up electronic crossmatch (soon, I hope) and will be required to test a specimen collected at a separate time for the re-type. I am seeking input on how you folks handle your patient re-types. We are also currently doing the re-type on every specimen -- including cord workups. We know that when we start the electronic crossmatches, we will not be getting a separate specimen on those babies for the retype. What do you do for traumas, pre-ops who come in a few days before surgery and only blood bank ordered, etc. Because we have been testing the same specimen for our retype, it adds on to that original requisition. I will have to change the retype to make a new requisition.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.