My hospital is temporarily closed due to a flood. We lost EVERYTHING. Does anyone have a source for purchasing Hematype segment devices.I may need more help on other things. Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your flood! How terrible. We buy our hemotype segment devices from Fenwal. The number is 1-800-766-1077. The catalog number is 4r5126.

You can probably purchase them through any major venodr - S/P, allegiance, Cardinal.

Check out Labsco, too, in Indianapolis.

I know that you can get them through cardinal.

Does anyone have the number and address for Chek Lab? They make Igloo Coolers and ice blocks. Thanks for the flood plain!

Mary

Has anyone tried a different segment device? We really like them but I see cheaper things out there - do they work as well?

Sorry to hear about your flood! How terrible. We buy our hemotype segment devices from Fenwal. The number is 1-800-766-1077. The catalog number is 4r5126.

Is this the Debbie McCaskill I used to work for in Shreveport, LA????

We used the Hematype devices by Fenwal for many years, but recently switched to a similar device called "TypeSafe" by Typenex. Their website is www.typenex.com , phone # is 866-897-3639 , and you can email your order to orders@typenex.com . Address is 303 E. Wacker Dirve, Suite 311, Chicago, IL, 60601.

We have been pleased with both brands, but 90% of our staff like the TypeSafe better.

:confused:Which is cheaper?

Mary**

Mary** -- You probably need to contact the companies you are interested and ask for quotes. (There are so many different purchasing groups and "contract prices" that your price quote is likely to be different from most other hospitals. (I don't think we saw much of a price different between Hematype and SafeType.)

We switched to the Typenex brand because it was less expensive. Of course we must go through a purchasing group and the Typenex brand was cheaper than the Hematype for our group. Most of our techs like them as well or better, and the others don't care which ones they use as long as they have them. Switching over was a non-issue here oddly enough - you know we laboratorians, any kind of change is a big problem for us

In my student lab, I used the others previously mentioned and also the Sartstedt Tube Segment Opener. It is white,and uses a needle in the middle. I think it was at least 1/5 the price of the Hematype. Students liked it just fine, occasionally they would miss the little needle and have to try a second attempt at piercing the segment. Not a big deal.

Sarstedt Order no. 92.1000

Sarstedt, Inc

PO Box 468

Newton, NC 28658-0468

tel 800-257-5101

Typenex is cheaper. We also switched. Also a 10% discount on first time customers, and no shipping on 2 or more cases.

Does anyone have the number and address for Chek Lab? They make Igloo Coolers and ice blocks. Thanks for the flood plain!

Mary

We've used Chek Lab for labels in the past..... phone is (630) 896-0574, fax (630) 896-0665, for orders call (888) 870-7979. cheklab@xnet.com - 208 East Benton ST, PO Box 4455, Aurora, IL 60507

We also recently switched to the Typesafe seg device from Typenex. It was cheaper than the hematype and the techs seem to like the product better.

Stephanie Townsend, MT (ASCP)SBB

For us TypeSafe is .16 each and hematype is .20. One of our techs works at another facility who had an issue with a broken tube and exposure with TypeSafe so we are reluctant to switch even if it is cheaper.

Having used both Hematype and TypeSafe, my personal opinion is that the risk of a broken tube and exposure is the same among both brands. (It would be good to hear what other BloodBankTalk posters' experiences are regarding broken tubes/exposure accidents.)

The Typenex ones should be about $160 for a case of 1000. Our staff likes the Typenex ones better too.