Hospital Blood Bank

Transfusion Support and Blood Component Control for Safe Treatment

The Hospital Blood Bank (HBB) is a strategic division of the National Cancer Institute, operating since 1962, that organizes transfusion care for the Institute's patients.

The Hospital Blood Bank orders and receives blood and/or its components from the Blood Center of the Okhmatdyt National Children's Specialized Hospital, stores and distributes them, and ensures control over immunohematology testing before transfusions.

What exactly does the hospital blood bank do?

1. Calculates the facility's blood needs. Hospital blood bank specialists analyze how much and which blood components (red cell, platelet, plasma) the clinical departments may need for patient transfusions, based on past usage volumes.
2. Stores components under appropriate temperature conditions. Different types of blood components require different storage conditions.
3. Monitors the shelf life and quality of stored blood components.
4. Manages inventory. Since component shelf life is limited, components with the nearest expiration date are issued first.
5. Issues components upon request from clinical departments.
6. Ensures traceability of every unit of blood component issued and monitors for possible adverse reactions in patients.

Why is having a hospital blood bank important?

1. Saving lives in emergencies. Massive blood loss during surgery requires rapid transfusion. Having a reserve in the hospital blood bank guarantees that the needed blood component will be available immediately.
2. Complex surgical procedures. These often involve significant blood loss, and surgeons need confidence that prepared and tested blood components are available.
3. Helping patients with blood disorders. Anemia, leukemia, and thrombocytopenia require regular transfusions during treatment.
4. Supporting cancer patients. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy suppress blood cell production. Transfusions help avoid dangerous complications.
5. Plasma helps restore fluid loss and support blood clotting.

The hospital blood bank is a rapid-response center on which patients' health and lives directly depend. That is why having one is essential for the effective operation of a modern medical facility.