hi

I was just wondering if there were any trusts out there that have 'blood product ordering'  via a panel set up in ICE, whereby the information regarding the blood product i.e. type, number of units and reasons for change in requested number of units crosses over to the Winpath system or is it simply a case of this information prints out on the request form (if one exists)?

Please could you provide some feedback regarding this.

Thanks

Ash Gilkar

Hi Ash

I don't have Winpath but I have this working in a Telepath System. It would all depend on how the data transfer is taking place from ICE to Winpath. If it's via an HL7 type interface, you should be able to get a specification from the supplier that will tell you what data goes where in the message.

The way mine works is via rules in ICE that ask for the Product required, number required, date and time required. We don't have it live as yet but the testing seems to have worked well with all the fields in the lab system populated as expected.

What would happen if the number of units was amended, I don't know, I'll test it and find out. My suspicion is that if the request is still outstanding on the lab queue it would just overwrite. Practically speaking, we wouldn't want people to be amending electronic transfusion requests adhoc anyway, if there was a need for a change, out transfusion manager would want a phone call first.

Dear Dave

Tahnk you greatly for your response.

Our interface is the HL7 type.

The actual blood products and the reasons for any changes to numbers of units required does print off on our blood product request form and this is apparently all that is required from our lab as they can manually enter this data into their Winpath lab system. However, the CMV/Irradiated blood requirements are somewhat of an issue as our haematologists have not decided if they need this information to print off on the request form. How does your trust deal with this rule in ICE??

Thanks

Ash

Ash

Good question!. As we are not yet using this in a live environment, I don't really know. I would imagine that the best way to do it is with a free text rule that allows the requestor to state any special requirements. This will then print into the designated section of the request form. I know that our Haematology consultant is very keen to get the "R" codes categorising the reason for transfusion on the request form. The main problem with trying to facilitate all this in an HL7 message is the fact there are just too many variables. My approach is more along the lines of meeting the thing half way - getting the order in elcetronically then amending it manually in the lab when the sample is received.

I realise this isn't ideal and sort of contradicts the who ethos of electronic orders but I cannot see any other way of doing it

Great use of the forum .... exactly as it was intended

Cheers

Dom