Emergency Issue Protocol

Department

Blood Bank

Instructions

• It is of utmost importance to call the Blood Bank immediately when initiating this protocol to facilitate immediate blood product preparation. The only way to initiate this protocol is by contacting the Blood Bank directly.
• Order a Type and Screen immediately.
• This procedure must be requested by a  Corewell Health Hospital physician when patient urgently needs blood products prior to the completion of required testing.
• Uncross-matched blood product represents a potential serious risk to the patient.
• If large amounts of blood products are required, please refer to the Massive Transfusion Protocol.

Specimen Collection Criteria

• No specimen is required to initiate the Emergency Issue Protocol.
• The BLOOD/COMPONENT PICK-UP TAG (X23480) must be completed and delivered to the Blood Bank for blood product dispensing. 
• A Type and Screen specimen should be collected as soon as possible and preferably prior to the administration of uncross-matched blood products.
  • Collect: 6.0 mL Pink-top EDTA tube, properly labeled.  
  • Preferred Volume: 6.0 mL 
  • Minimum Volume: 2.0 mL

  Pink top EDTA Microtainer® also acceptable for Newborn patients, properly labeled: Minimum 0.5 mL.

Laboratory

Dearborn Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Farmington Hills Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Grosse Pointe Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Royal Oak Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Taylor Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Trenton Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Troy Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)
Wayne Transfusion Medicine Laboratory (Blood Bank)

Performed

• This protocol is performed STAT.
• Uncross-matched blood products are available immediately (exception is cryoprecipitate which must be thawed. Plasma must also be thawed at Grosse Pointe, Wayne and Trenton.)
• Crossmatch compatible blood products will be available once the Type and Screen is completed and on file in the Blood Bank.
• If a patient has unexpected clinically significant red cell antibodies there may be more time required to obtain crossmatch compatible blood for the patient.

Test Methodology

Additional products will be available upon request.

Interpretation

• Additional time is necessary to crossmatch red blood cells for patients with clinically significant antibodies. All efforts will be made to provide blood as quickly as possible.
• After a Type and Screen is completed the physician will be notified if any unexpected antibodies are detected or if any of the units that were issued are found to be incompatible.

Clinical Utility

• The Emergency Issue Protocol is used to provide blood products as quickly and efficiently as possible to a patient who is exsanguinating due to physical trauma or unexpected massive bleeding that does not have a current Type and Screen on file.
• All emergency protocols are reviewed by the Blood Bank Management Team for appropriateness of response and outcome.

CPT Codes

Codes as required for blood products appropriate for the patient.

Contacts

Last Updated

9/10/2025