Blood matching with 2D codes
Addenbrooke’s, which belongs to the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation, has developed an electronic control system for transfusion processes which enables blood and blood products to be precisely labelled, identified and assigned to the right patient in safety.
The system has five steps. First the patient is identified by means of an identification bracelet on which important data including name, date of birth and NHS number are printed. The information on the bracelet is human-readable and is also encoded in a 2D code.
Next, labels containing the relevant information are attached to the patient’s blood samples, directly by the bed. This is done using a scanner and a small portable printer. The label on the blood sample contains exactly the same information as is printed on the patient's identification bracelet. This is designed to prevent mix-ups from the very outset.
In the third step the samples go to the laboratory. The laboratory computer transfers the details of each blood sample and the identity of the recipients to the electronic control system for checking and dispensing the blood. In the fourth step this blood checking and dispensing system checks the data of the blood and blood products. This prevents the wrong units from being assigned to the patient.
Finally the blood units are administered at the bedside. The scanner is used for checking the identity of the patient and the blood units which are to be administered. Here the portable system serves not only as a warning system in the event of incorrect assignment, but also permits the laboratory to access real-time data.
The correct assignment of transfusions is guaranteed at all times. Thanks to up-to-date information on patients and blood units the hospital staff are also able to provide blood units for the patients proactively.
Company: Toyota Tsusho
Product: Denso BHT-300
Product: Denso BHT-300
