I am trying to determine the frequency that other transfusion services perform ABO testing on their recipients prior to FFP transfusion?  Do you perform a new type if more than 3 days have elapsed?  What about with a new admission?  If the patient has at least two previous blood types, do you still do another one prior to transfusing that patient even though it's a new admission?  Thanks in advance for your comments.

one blood type/admission.

Once every 12 months.

_{As long as we have 2 types on file, no we do not perform another ABO/Rh for FFP transfusions or platelets.}

_{We have a lot of out patients who come for just platelets, and we have chronic (out) patients that get FFP prior to procedures.}

_{Obviously, if we feel blood may be needed we get the specimen. We get lots of "hold" tubes!}

_Liz

one blood type per admission

Yes, I vote for one blood type/admission.
 

Ditto......one blood type per admission.

One blood type per admission.  We've had our admitting department mis-register a patient leading to a transfusion of incompatible FFP. 

We do a blood type each admission for inpatients.  For our recurring outpatients that are getting therapeutic plasma exchanges we do the blood type each month with the new monthly admission. 

1 type/admission for FFp and platelets

When we collect pre-transfusion blood the patient is banded with a unique BB ID number. As long as the patient has this uniquely numbered armband and we have a type from a specimen with that number we will transfuse plasma products, either FFP of platelets.

When we collect pre-transfusion blood the patient is banded with a unique BB ID number. As long as the patient has this uniquely numbered armband and we have a type from a specimen with that number we will transfuse plasma products, either FFP of platelets.

Actually this is exactly what we do.

Recheck bloodtype every admission

We also perform one type per admission.  Our one exception is for Outpatient Oncology when the patient is coming in frequently for platelets.

_{Thank you all very much for your replies.  This has helped, greatly.  I was leaning towards the "new type/admission" process, initially,  and it looks like that's what many of you are doing.  We have a patient population who have been known to swap identifications which is why I don't feel comfortable relying on historical typings.}

We follow the same policy as well.

We require one blood type on the current admission

I believe in one type per admission although my former employer says one type per every 6 months. I believe there is always a chance of fraud or error if you don't do every admission.

We do one every 3 days, our BB LIS requires it even for FFP.  But if I had my way it would be once per admission.