Blood Product Vendor Alternatives????

[BBMANAGER 10]

We are opening a small county hospital (1,000 bed) and have only two local blood center options. Is there a option besides NBE to look for alternative blood supply?

[adiescast 112]

If you have two local options, why do you need more? Anyone else would be further away and take longer to get the products to you.

Having said that, you could select almost any FDA licensed vendor (have to be licensed to ship across state lines) and contact them to see if they are willing to supply you. Look at America's Blood Centers for a list of independent blood centers. Google "blood center" or "blood bank" to get a handful more. Red Cross and UBS have presence in many areas.

Edited April 5, 2011 by adiescast

[BBMANAGER 10]

True, UBS and ARC are current options. Looking only for lowest cost options through alternate methods with routine deliveries, not STAT's or ASAP's. When it comes to routine it's just a matter of logistics like you said as long as they are FDA licenced and hopefully ISBT certified. Trying to think outside the box. Thanks for the America's Blood Center reference!!! Didn't think of that.

[tupton 14]

We are getting ready to transition from ARC to General Blood, LLC which is a distributor for several large Community Blood Centers. The pricing and services are far better than what we are receiving with ARC, plus all the products are ISBT 128.

www.generalblood.com

[BBMANAGER 10]

Thanks for the info. I have heard of General Blood, just didn't know if anyone was actually being supplied by that organization. How does that work with STAT and ASAP orders?

[tupton 14]

Regular orders are placed by noon and then product is received via Fed Ex Next Day. A stat order can also be placed (for an additional transport fee) that will arrive within 12 hours.