ARC Packing Slips? Keep? Trash? HELP!

[linzeej12 0]

Hey everyone! My lab director seems to think we need to keep the packing slips from ARC for 10 years. Why would we do this? She checks the billing and makes sure everything is correct. Why keep them after the billing is checked? Anyone have any thoughts?

[Malcolm Needs ★ 4,611]

It is probably more to do with the unit numbers than the number of units you have received (if you see what I mean).

Certainly, in the UK, we have to keep a record of the unit numbers we have received, and their fate, for 30 years, so that if there is any question of the units causing either morbidity or mortality because of a previously "unknown" viral/bacterial/parasitic or prion infection, we can look back and see what is going on.  For the same reason, we have to keep frozen samples of donor plasma for 30 years.

[SMILLER 855]

More likely the slips must be hung onto at least until after your blood provider gets their payment.  If there is any dispute over what you are charged and/or paying for, then you have their packing slip to refer to as a sort of "receipt".  Doesn't seem like you would need to hang onto them forever.  May be a billing department requirement.

Scott

[pinktoptube 45]

We have always kept the packing slip for 10 years as part of the traceability of unit, granted the information is entered in our LIS.

[R1R2 291]

I was told that there are signatures of acceptability on the document. 

[pbaker 128]

We keep them until the monthly invoice comes and then they are discarded.  All documentation of unit receipt and final disposition is in the computer system.

[ANORRIS 95]

I scan them into a folder on my PC and throw away the paper copies

[CSP0102 14]

We keep ours a year. Do you use Bloid Hub?  If so all that info could be retrieved from there. 10 years seems way to long. We never kept them that long even when we weren’t computerized 

[Patty 36]

I have struggled with this too.  I keep mine because of the ARC statement:  All products in the shipment have been inspected and found suitable for distribution.  We document inspection on receipt in the computer when entering into our system.  I keep mine for 5 years?? Maybe this should be changed to 10 if it is needed at all.  ARC was suppose to go to an electronic Packing slip but for some reason never perfected.  I figure at that point I will be able to stop keeping.  Hoping someone finds a definitive answer to this and posts it. 

[linzeej12 0]

Thanks everyone for your input!

[AMcCord 1,218]

On 6/20/2018 at 8:14 AM, pinktoptube said:

We have always kept the packing slip for 10 years as part of the traceability of unit, granted the information is entered in our LIS.

Same with us. We are scanning them into a storage data base, validating the scan, then discarding. The data base info is held for 10 years from the time the document is scanned into it.

[NLiveris 5]

Would anyone be willing to email or fax a copy of a packing slip from American Red Cross.  We may have idea to improve capture and storage of the data?  (nliveris@digi-trax.com or FAX: 847-465-9055)

[slsmith 48]

We keep them because it is a AABB standard to retain them for 10 years. If your hospital isn't AABB accredited then there shouldn't be a reason to keep them

[R1R2 291]

23 hours ago, slsmith said:

We keep them because it is a AABB standard to retain them for 10 years. If your hospital isn't AABB accredited then there shouldn't be a reason to keep them

what is the standard?

[Cliff 402]

It depends on what is on them.  Some product packing slips contain very little info, no lot#, no numbers of vials, it's essentially just shipping info.  We don't keep those.

Most of our product slips have unit info on them, those we save.

[AMcCord 1,218]

Our packing slips have unit info, time packed and documentation about time and condition when received. Saved for 10 years.

[slsmith 48]

Quote

6.2.9 standard 4.3

 

[AMcCord 1,218]

6.2.9 std 5.1.6.5 ?

[mcgouc 63]

It depends on your policies and how you handle the documentation.  You need documentation for each part of the process. If one tech can sign the form and document the inspection and another tech enters into the computer under his or her name, you don’t have a complete tracking of the unit.  Also, if you are busy, there could be a delay in entering the units in the computer.  If your policy states the one receiving and inspecting units enters them in computer on receipt, you don’t need the paperwork. There could be some other form for that documentation.  The Blood Center is keeping a copy of that form and if you sign for it at 0530, you need to document what you did with the blood until you put it in computer at 0730.  

[Darren 15]

On 6/21/2018 at 7:35 AM, ANORRIS said:

I scan them into a folder on my PC and throw away the paper copies

I do this as well and put them into a network folder where we'll probably keep them for 10 years. Maybe. I only scan them once a quarter on a big copier that can do them all, then it emails me a pdf. Sometimes the files can get big so at the end of the year I use a compression program to shrink them down and save server space (7-zip).