Directed Blood Donor Program FAQs

How Do I Contact the Blood Donor Center?

How Do I Participate?

1. Discuss the possibility of blood transfusion and all the transfusion options with the patient’s physician.
2. Have surgery or transfusion therapy scheduled at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
3. If the patient’s blood type is not known, have his or her physician order a blood test.
4. Register the patient with the hospital in order to obtain a Medical Record Number.
5. Give an accurate, complete Directed Donor Request Form to the Blood Donor Center.
6. Have potential donors call the Blood Donor Center to make appointments to donate blood.  Donors must provide the patient's full name and date of birth.
7. Notify the Blood Donor Center if the date of the surgery or transfusion therapy is changed.
8. Monitor the inventory of Directed Donor units.
9. Recruit additional donors as required.

How Should I Prepare?

• Drink extra fluids the day prior to donating and the day of your donation.
• Eat a healthy meal before donating.
• Do not fast.
• Bring I.D. with you (drivers license or I.D. card).

Who May Donate?

To donate, donors must:

• Be 17 years of age or older (no upper age limit)
• Be at least 110 pounds
• Have no history of hepatitis, heart disease, or certain types of cancer
• Have no cold, sore throat, or other type of infection
• Not have engaged in any activity considered "at risk" for exposure to HIV (AIDS) and hepatitis
• Not be taking "significant" medications
• Not have donated blood in the past eight weeks
• Have a valid identification card (ID)

Our staff of qualified blood donation professionals will provide potential donors with advice concerning specific medications or other questions of eligibility.  Donors may give whole blood if they meet all the established requirements, including a more extensive screening conducted on the day of donation.

How Long Is Blood Reserved?

All directed donations should be made at least three days before the surgery to allow time for testing.  After testing, units that match your child's blood type are set aside.  Units that don't match will be added to the hospital's general supply.  Blood will be held only four days after the anticipated date of use, and may be released earlier if the patient is discharged. If the patient’s family or physician notifies the Blood Donor Center of changes in the transfusion date, blood will be held longer. 

What If Surgery or Transfusion Is Postponed?

You must notify the Blood Donor Center as soon as possible.
If the Center is not informed, the directed donor units may be released into the hospital's general supply..

How Many Donors Are Needed?

One whole blood donation is equal to one pint or "unit" of blood.  The patient’s physician will determine how many units of blood are needed based on the patient’s condition, and the amount of blood generally used for the type of surgery in question.  Blood typing of potential donors is performed after donation (results are available 48 hours after donation).  If the donation passes all tests but is of inappropriate type, it will be used for other patients. 

Do Donations Ever Go To Someone Else?

Directed blood donations will be given to the designated patient unless:

• The designated patient does not need the blood.
• The blood is not compatible with the patient’s blood.
• The actual use of the blood is postponed beyond the life of the donation.
• The patient name and hospital number is not accurate as provided in the Directed Donor Request Form.
• A life-endangering situation occurs where the blood must be used for another patient.

What If Enough Donors Are Not Recruited?

If you are unable to recruit an adequate number of qualified donors for your child’s transfusion needs, or if additional blood or blood components are ordered by the patient’s physician, it will be provided by the Children's Hospital Blood Bank from volunteer or community (allogeneic) donors.

Is There A Fee?

In addition to other processing charges, there is a fee for the handling and inventory maintenance associated with each directed blood donation.
Fees are charged to the patient at time of the crossmatch of the directed units.

What Blood Type Should the Donor Be?