Beginning Tuesday, May 19th, the blood bank will now require a second blood type sample for patients who have not had a prior type and screen at UNC Hospitals. Please direct any questions to Dr. Yara Park, 984-974-1780, in TMS.

The College of American Pathologists, is requiring that institutions confirm a patient’s ABO type if the patient does not have a previous blood type in the blood bank computer system. The second type must be done on a second sample collected at a separate phlebotomy. Starting May 19th , the blood bank computer system will be set-up to require the second check-type sample. When TMS receives a type and screen (T&S) sample with a Prepare RBC request (or patient has an active T&S and TMS gets an order for Prepare RBC), TMS will immediately check for a previous ABO type on the patient. If there is NOT a previous type, TMS staff will call the floor or clinic with the patient and ask for another pink top tube with an order for a blood type only. While the second sample is being drawn, TMS will begin the T&S on the first sample. Once the second sample is in TMS, an ABO type only, which takes approximately 5 minutes to complete, will be performed and if types match, the units will be ready after the screen is complete on the first sample.

*** If your patient requires a second sample, there will be a comment listed in the results section under the patient’s blood type stating “2^nd sample is required for ABORH confirmation”. Despite the plan for Precare, PCS, and TMS to develop mechanisms to ensure this second sample is obtained in a timely and efficient manner, we as anesthesia care team members must be proactive about ensuring this second sample is not missed.