How to Improve Your Blood Bank Workflow
Blood banks have been an essential part of our country’s healthcare system since the first one was established in Chicago in 1937. Since then, blood banks have helped save thousands of lives by ensuring communities are covered in the event of disasters and patients in need of blood have fast and safe access.
In this article, we’ll explore how today’s cloud-based blood bank management systems are improving workflows to ensure better tracking with safe and accurate blood products.
How Blood Banks Work
According to the American Red Cross, the first step in blood banking is the collection. [1] Banks rely on donors who meet their criteria for participation. Each donation results in around one pint of blood along with additional tubes for testing, which are labeled and sent to a laboratory for processing.
Processing Blood Bank Products
Once blood products are received at the laboratory for processing, the following steps take place:
- Blood is centrifuged to separate it into essential components such as platelets or plasma
- White blood cells are removed to avoid adverse reactions in patients
- Blood is placed in tubes for testing
SCC’s Blood Services Information Systems Suite®
Our centralized blood management software solution was designed to offer multi-site capabilities and accurate blood product tracking, all from centralized inventory. Dynamic features include advanced management reports, audit trail, daily trace, and more.
The suite offers an integrated, single-database solution with the following systems:
- SoftBank® – blood bank and transfusion service information management
- SoftDonor™ – donor information management
- SoftID.Tx® – positive patient transfusion administration
- SoftRecruit® – donor recruitment management
These systems help ensure secure, safe, and accurate blood products through innovative features which help streamline processes, reduce manual work, and reduce errors. With exceptional time savings, patients can receive life-saving blood faster, while transfusion services result in more revenue.
You can get additional details of SCC’s Blood Services Information Systems Suite® here.
Getting Started With a Blood Bank Workflow
When choosing a management system for blood banking and blood services, it’s essential to consider your lab’s specific needs, IT architecture, and budget. At SCC, we know this can be a complex process – and our team is here to help simplify it so you can make the best decision. Complete our online contact form here, and a team member will be in touch.