A blood bank consultation service: principles and practice

In the blood bank setting, a close relationship with both clinicians and patients is essential for good medical practice. In July 1982, the Mayo Clinic Blood Bank and Transfusion Services formally organized a consultation service with daily visits to patients of mutual interest to blood bank consultants and clinicians for practice and education. Detailed diaries of this activity were maintained for 12 months, during which time 802 impatient visits were recorded. The most frequent reasons for consultations were clarification or amplification of the clinical history (34.0%), evaluation of transfusion reactions (27.2%), and assessment of serologic problems (18.2%). These consultations resulted in diagnostic, management, and therapeutic recommendations for a wide variety of medical problems. Of the 802 consultations, 23% were conducted at the direct request of clinicians. We believe that a blood bank consultation service is feasible, is enlightening for the blood bank and clinicians, and contributes to patient care.