I would like to know how is Turn around time applies in your transfusion services?

Is it from the time we received the request along with the sample until coombs phase? or after immediate spin if the previous record shows negative antibody screening and crossmatch if any:confused:

We have a 3 phase approach

1) Group specific - where there isn't time for a full crossmatch but not critical enough to warrant 'flying squad' - 10-15 minutes. We do a rapid tube group and an immediate spin crossmatch to rule out ABO incompatibilty. An retrospective full G&S and crossmatch is done.

2) Emergency crossmatch - where fully crossmatched blood is acceptable insufficient but there is insufficient time to wait for phenotyped blood and a new panel (usually for people with known antibodies). Blood is issued empirically crossmatched within 45 minutes (manual). I believe the TAT for an analyser crossmatch is more in the region of an hour.

3) Fully crossmatched - sufficient time to wait for a panel and phenotyped blood - TAT is 6 hours minimum. We are at least 2 hours away from our nearest centre so this usually only happens for electives. In my last lab where the testing was done 'in house' the TAT was 2 hours.

HTH

Thanks HTH,you answered my question clearly.Have a nice day!

T&S 45 mins

T&S and XM 1 hour

Uncrossed-not type specific 15 mins

Uncrossed-type specific 25 mins

Thanks Smiller.

All of our lab TATs start from receipt in the lab (central processing) as recorded in the LIS. We have a 1 hr TAT for stat type, screen and crossmatch (with no antibody or other complications) but generally do better than that. CP is 15 feet away from BB in an open lab. The spec comes right to us, 5 minute specimen spin in BB, 5 min to do the typing/set up the screen, 10 min inc w/ LISS, 10 min wash and AHG = 30 minutes minimum. So 60 minutes is reasonable as it cuts you a little slack for staffing, multiple stats etc. Do the IS Xmatch while the screen is cooking.

If they can't wait, we do what we can before emergency issue and finish up the work ASAP.

Look at your lab traffic flow, figure out your absolute minimum TAT based on your logistics and methodology, then add a fudge factor for this less than perfect world we live in.

We haven't bothered to establish a diffferent TAT for doing IS xmatches when you have already done the negative TAS as it only takes a minute or two. And to tell the truth, I can't remember anyone ever holding our feet to the fire because it took us 63 minutes.