Volunteer Donations
The process of collecting, storing and transfusing blood from the community for use by the community. This is the most common type of donation.
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Directed Donor Service
This service allows surgical and medical patients to recruit their own blood donors. Prospective donors usually include family members, friends, co-workers, etc.
A directed donor is a volunteer blood donor who donates for a specific patient. The patient must have a scheduled date for surgery, a planned transfusion, or ongoing transfusion therapy at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Providence Holy Cross, Sherman Oaks Hospital & Health Center, or an associated hospital. Each donor is carefully screened to determine eligibility. Each unit of blood is tested for blood type and evidence of infection, including HIV (AIDS virus), hepatitis B and C. As long as the donor and patient's blood types are compatible, and the unit has passed all the screening tests, the blood will be reserved for the intended recipient.
The recipient' s physician must send an order form to the Blood Donor Center to authorize Directed Donor Units.
Directed donors are to call the Blood Donor Center at (800) 469-9555 and schedule an appointment. Donors must identify themselves as "directed donors" for a specific patient when making an appointment. Donors will need to bring their own Drivers License number and a copy of the patient's Social Security number. Donors without appointments will be gladly accommodated on a space available basis.
Directed donations should be made at least 4 days before transfusion so that all testing can be completed before the blood is needed. Directed Donors should plan to donate 1-2 weeks before the transfusion date. Donating less then 4 days prior to the anticipated date of transfusion will not assure availability of a suitable unit.
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Autologous (Self-Directed) Donations
Donors make these donations to themselves. The advantages and benefits of this type of donation are fairly obvious - the most safest blood to use is your own. Despite rigorous testing on the current blood supply, there is always the possibility of blood donated by other donors being incompatible or carrying undetectable, unpredictable or undesirable side effects. Donating to yourself prior to elective surgery for example, can eliminate many risks.
This type of donation requires an order form from the physician. No appointments will be made until such an order is on file at the Blood Donor Center. The last donation should be scheduled no later than 72 hours from the surgery date - a week is better.
Autologous donations are particularly advantageous for individuals who have a rare blood type or antibodies that make it difficult to find compatible blood.
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Therapeutic Phlebotomy
Therapeutic phlebotomy is the process of collecting and disposing of blood as a medical treatment. An example of this process is in the treatment of hemochromatosis, which is a condition of an overabundance or high concentration of iron in the blood. Blood is drawn from the patient and then disposed of. Therapeutic phlebotomy is used to eliminate or control a dangerous condition in the blood, which must be corrected quickly or is not responding to treatments that are more conventional.
Your physician, who must provide an order form for this procedure, determines specific restrictions or requirements.
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