Checksum digit at end of DIN

[rbayliff]

A question came up recently during a CLIA inspection regarding the use of the checksum digit at the end of the DIN, and I am looking for some clarification. My understanding, was that when using a system that reads the barcodes, the checksum did not have to show on the printed reports, but if the DIN is being used manually, the checksum digits must be included. I spoke with our blood supply center, and they know of a lot of hospitals that the system doesn't show the checksum digit as well. Help?

[SMILLER]

Did they cite a standard?  I have never been able to find one myself.  We use the checksum here just because its there on the units and in the barcode.  Although our own blood supply center, when they send us lookback notices and other documentation with unit numbers listed, doesn't bother to use it!

 

I am thinking that it is not a big deal, as the unit  number sans checkdigit is adequate to identify the unit's source, so that it is superfluous.  (For QC at the labeling end, I can see its usefulness).

 

Scott

[Dansket]

Check the ISBT 128 website.  http://www.iccbba.org/    Review the definition of the DIN format.

 

The double zero is separated from the DIN by a space and printed in a vertical format. It is there for proper barcode scanning and not intended to be a part of the eye-readable DIN.

 

Do all your DINs have a double zero?  If you were to make them part of the DIN,. then all your donor unit numbers would end in 00!  This would visually reduce readability and decrease the uniqueness of each DIN.

 

I think your CLIA inspector was way off the mark on this non-issue.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Dansket

[tcoyle]

Hello,

We do not routinely add the check sum digit to the unit number on reports or other items.  It has to be entered when manually typing in a unit number, and if we dont have that check sum digit, we can type the number into the ISBT calculator which will then give us the check sum that goes with that unit.

 

[tricore]

We have our computer set to display and print the check sum digit. The nurses were confused without the check sum digit on the transfusion tag because it is on the bag.

The flag characters (two sideways zeroes) must be on the label. But, they are not recorded in the computer, nor do they display on reports. See below for the coding of the flag charaters. I have never seen anything other than two zeroes on the product swe receive.

CHECK CHARACTER – The final data CHARACTER in each C

The check sum digit and the flag characters are two different items. The check sum digit checks that the items in the unit number are correct when you enter the unit into the computer. The sideways zeroes are flag characters and not really used but they must be on the label. I have never seen anything other than two zeroes. See end of this message for the meanings.

 

We do print the check sum didgits on the transfusion tags (not the sideways zeroes). It was confusing to the nurses if was on the bag but not on the transfusion tag.  It does display in the computer and print on reports. That is the way we have our site parameter set in the system (Sunquest).

The sideways zeroes (flag digits) do not print, nor are they recorded in the computer.

If you are printing labels the flag characters (the sideways zeros) must be on the label: " The flag characters should be printed vertically and be encoded in the bar code, but it is not  part of the DIN." per Erwin Cabana ICCBBA

ode 128 symbol (the

CHARACTER immediately preceding the STOP CHARACTER) is called the CHECK

CHARACTER. Its value is determined by a mathematical formula (sometimes called an

“algorithm”) performed on the other data characters in the symbol. The CHECK CHARACTER

contributes greatly to the reliability of Code 128, virtually eliminating errors of transcription

transposition.

and

Table 3 Data Structure 001: Donation Identification Number Flag Digits, ff [RT004]

Value of ff

Meaning When Used in the Donation Identification Number

00

Flag not used; null value

01

Container 1 of a set

02

Container 2 of a set

03

Container 3 of a set

04

Container 4 of a set

05

Second (or repeated) ―demand-printed‖ label

06

Pilot tube label

07

Test tube label

08

Donor record label

09

Sample tube for NAT testing

10

Samples for bacterial testing

11 Match with Unit label

12 Affixed partial label

13 Attached label (intended to be used with affixed partial label)

[Malcolm Needs ☆]

Thanks for that tricore.

As a complete an utter IT idiot, I didn't understand a word of that!

Thank goodness I don't have to use that system, but more power to your own elbow for being able to use it, and explain it to others who are not as thick as am I!!!!!!!!!!!!

[carolyn swickard]

We do not print out the checksum digit or the flag characters on any of our Blood Bank records (HCA Meditech), though the barcode reader recognizes and uses the checksum digit to determine correct input.  Our blood supplier (UBS) does use the flag characters and the checksum digit and has problems when they are not supplied back to them on handwritten documents (we trained the team to always write these extra numbers on the handwritten transfer docs.).

 

We had a little training for the whole hospital when ISBT128 came out - flyers and posters, etc. - that warned the RNs and Drs that we wouild not be using the flag characters and the checksum digit.  They adapted to that really quickly and we never have any questions on it.  We are more likely to have a question on the pheresis split letters (A-G) for FFP than anything else - Meditech does show that letter.

 

I can find any recalled/withdrawal/lookback unit in my system when asked to by my supplier - we just don't input the flag charcters and the checksum digit.  Have not yet seen a problem or had a duplicate number or had an inspector even mention it.  As long as you can find any unit you need and your system has not yet come up with any duplicate numbers (the whole purpose of ISBT128), I don't see the need to have the check digit on your paperwork.  Good luck with CLIA.  Let us know if they don't back down on the "requirement".

[tricore]

Thanks for that tricore.

As a complete an utter IT idiot, I didn't understand a word of that!

Thank goodness I don't have to use that system, but more power to your own elbow for being able to use it, and explain it to others who are not as thick as am I!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, I copied the explaination from the ICCBBA documents.

When we first started using ISBT the two sideway zeroes (flag characters) would bring down our transaction processor (entire lab system) if we tried to return to inventory a unit that had already been given a final status in the computer. Sunquest fixed that pretty quickly since we had to call them everytime we had to return a unit in final status (i.e., transfused, discarded) to inventory.

[tricore]

By "We are more likely to have a question on the pheresis split letters (A-G) for FFP than anything else - Meditech does show that letter." do you mean the unit division that is the 7th and 8th characters of the product code?

[David Saikin]

Our blood supplier wants all the digits documented whether manual or electronically recorded.

[AMcCord]

Our blood supplier wants all the digits documented whether manual or electronically recorded.

We document all digits for in house stuff - our blood supplier wants all digits if manual entry.

[carolyn swickard]

Quote:

By "We are more likely to have a question on the pheresis split letters (A-G) for FFP than anything else - Meditech does show that letter." do you mean the unit division that is the 7th and 8th characters of the product code?

Yes, that is exactly what I meant.  Meditech prints that letter at the end of the DIN on all paperwork.

[ECabana]

I would like to provide some clarification about the Donation Identification Number (DIN) and the printing of the check character.

 

Whenever the DIN is printed, it must be accompanied by a check character.  The check character is not part of the DIN itself and it is not encoded into the DIN bar code.  The check character should be enclosed in a box when printed to distinguish it from the DIN.   

 

The flag characters are separate from the check character, and neither are part of the Donation Identification Number itself.  To help distinguish them from the actual DIN, the flag characters should be rotated 90° clockwise and the check character enclosed in a box.

 

Here are some references on the ICCBBA website for the check character:

 

• ISBT 128 Standard Technical Specification Version 4.5.0
  • Section 2.4.1 – Donation Identification Number [Data Structure 001]
  • Section 7.6.2 – Keyboard Entry Check Character K

 

• United States Consensus Standard Version 3.0.0 Draft Y
  • Section 4.1 – Donation Identification Number [001]
  • Section 4.1.1.4 – Keyboard Entry Check

 

• Implementation Guide: Use of the Donation Identification Number Version 1.0.0

(You will need to have password access to the ICCBBA website to view this document)

• Section 3 – Check Character
• Section 4 – Text Associated with the DIN

 

 

Erwin Cabana

ICCBBA

Edited January 17, 2014 by ECabana

[tricore]

Thank you Erwin. I was hoping you would post.

[BankerGirl]

_{Having read the}

_{Implementation Guide: Use of the Donation Identification Number Version 1.0.0}

_{I have concluded that the use of the flag characters and the check character are to be printed on the unit itself, but that the use of the DIN in transfusion documentation requires only the actual DIN number.  I say that after reading the following excerpt.  I don't see how these characters can be required, since it states earlier in the document that the check character is not even coded into the barcode.  If I am wrong, please correct me.}

_{5 Traceability Issues}

_{Unique identification of a product with ISBT 128 requires both the DIN and the full Product Code (Product Description Code, Donation Type Code, and Divisions Code). The entire 13-character DIN must be recorded in all records to ensure uniqueness. Traceability requires the retention of these unique identifiers at all steps in the transfusion or transplantation pathway together with local records of interventions and appropriate mapping of identifiers between start and final products.}