Blood Supply FAQ

A. Blood Supply

1) How does Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) help ensure sufficient and safe blood supply?

• We at Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) have always recognized the importance of having access to blood, especially blood types that are relatively rare in China, as needed for our patients and for all who may need it in the city. For the past 15 years, we have been organizing regular blood drives in partnership with the Beijing Blood Center to help ensure a sufficient stock of various types of blood, including types such as Rh negative blood. (We are in a unique position to do this because of the relatively high incidence of Rh negative blood among our patient/donor base.) Toward this end, the BJU Laboratory also keeps a list of potential Rh negative donors. This close cooperation between the BJU Laboratory and the Beijing Blood Center has made it possible for us to provide blood as needed for BJU patients requiring transfusions.
• BJU has its own Blood Bank and maintains a steady supply of most types of blood on site at BJU. BJU triple-screens all the blood we allow into the BJU Blood Bank, making blood transfusions at BJU the safest in Beijing. Sometimes certain types of blood need to be acquired from the Beijing Blood Center.

2) Is there enough blood available in Beijing if I or my family needed it?

• Yes, generally there is enough blood available in Beijing through the Beijing Blood Center for most blood types. The latest supply numbers are listed (in Chinese only) on the Beijing Blood Center website athttp://www.bjblood.com. The Beijing Blood Center stores enough blood of various kinds that can be acquired by Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) on behalf of patients, whether experiencing an emergency or for scheduled procedures. Rarer blood types in China (Rh negative types) are also kept by the Beijing Blood Center and can be transferred to hospitals that need it, but to date, rarer blood is not permitted to be stored in hospitals or in the BJU Blood Bank, in order to ensure safe supply for all Beijing residents. The supplies of Rh negative types of blood stored in the Beijng Blood Center may sometimes be limited—although there will always be some amount kept. When supplies of rarer blood run low, the Beijing Blood Center often will contact Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) to assist them to reach out to the international community in Beijing via joint blood drives.
• BJU also has its own Blood Bank where it keeps fresh supplies of Rh positive blood on hand daily, and has close cooperation with the Beijing Blood Center to acquire additional blood as needed for our patients. BJU has a clear protocol in place, as well as several options available, to acquire blood and assist patients in emergencies or for upcoming procedures.

3) I have a rare blood type (such as O negative); is there enough blood for me in Beijing in an emergency?

• BJU has several measures in place to handle a massive bleeding emergency for those with rare types of blood such as O negative. However, it is possible for supplies of rare blood types to run low in Beijing from time to time, (although not run out). If you have a rare blood type, please consider a donation to the Beijing Blood Center. BJU has a protocol in place to provide several options for rare blood availability in an emergency. The protocol includes maintaining a list of staff and community members willing to quickly donate blood if needed, working closely with the Beijing Blood Center to acquire blood as quickly as possible, and ultimately, as a last resort, using an immediately available Rh positive blood (O +) from the BJU Blood Bank if absolutely necessary to save a life when all other options are unavailable. To date, this last resort option has not occurred at BJU.
• Those BJU patients with an upcoming procedure and with Rh negative or any type of blood can also donate their own blood to be stored at the BJU Blood Bank to be ready for the day of the procedure. Such blood can be tested directly at BJU. Patients should discuss this procedure with their doctor.

4) How long does it take to access blood at BJU in an emergency?

• Blood from the BJU Blood Bank can be accessed in a few short minutes. Frozen plasma is also stored in the BJU Blood Bank. If needed, additional fresh blood beyond what is stored daily can be available and transferred to our BJU Blood Bank from the Beijing Blood Center from 45 minutes up to 2 hrs maximum depending on transportation. In non-emergency situations and for scheduled procedures, BJU can arrange for blood to be delivered to the BJU Blood Bank ahead of time. BJU drivers can stand by on call at the Beijing Blood Center during surgery in case more blood needed.
• If not enough fresh blood is available for a specific type of blood, frozen red blood cells are also available in the Beijing Blood Center. Frozen red blood cells are as effective as fresh blood if used on the day it is prepared, since it only is valid for 1 day, but may take up to a few hours to prepare, since a range of steps is required before use. Each emergency case is different, making it difficult to specify which method will be taken in any given emergency. This must be decided by the doctor at the time. All BJU doctors are aware of the protocol in place to assist patients in emergencies.

5) Why doesn’t BJU store Rh negative blood?

• BJU always has a supply of fresh units of Rh positive blood, which we receive from the Beijing Blood Center. Each time we acquire blood from the Blood Center, we perform more screening tests to ensure safety. If the fresh blood reaches its expiration date, we do not use it and we absorb the costs involved.
• Unfortunately, since Rh negative blood is often scarce in China, no Beijing hospital, whether private or public, is allowed to store fresh or frozen units of Rh negative blood. All Rh negative blood must be stored at the Beijing Blood Center. All hospitals needing Rh negative blood must request this on a case-by-case basis with specific requests for patients with a documented medical need.

6) How is the blood I receive at BJU stored?

• It is stored in our BJU Blood Bank where it is kept according to the highest quality standards for blood storage and handling. BJU blood bank is a CAP (College of American Pathologists) accredited laboratory.

7) How is the blood I receive at BJU prepared?

• In almost all cases, blood is first brought in from the Beijing Blood Center where it must be first tested and processed, as required by government regulation. Before being placed in the BJU Blood Bank for patients, it is re-tested along with a number of additional tests to ensure the safest blood supply for our patients. When needed for patient procedures, it is then cross-matched with a patient’s own blood and tested to ensure compatibility and safety.

8) In general, is there enough blood supply in China?

• Yes, in most metropolitan areas there is enough blood for most blood types, and blood supply is carefully managed by local governments in every area. Shanghai United Family Hospital and Tianjin United Family Hospital have similar protocols in place to Beijing United. Supply of rare blood types (for example Rh negative) may be somewhat less dependable in some parts of China. If rare blood is a concern, the following resources may be helpful for you: The World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/en/), The China Society of Blood Transfusion (http://www.csbt.org.cn), the Beijing Blood Center (http://www.bjblood.com), the Red Cross Society of China (http://www.redcross.org.cn/), local health departments (http://www.moh.gov.cn), or contact your United Family Healthcare doctor for advice.

B. Blood Donation

1) I want to donate blood, how can I do that?

• For detailed blood donation information, see below.
• Anyone seeking to donate blood in Beijing must donate through the Beijing Blood Center, either through its Beijing Red Cross Blood Center or Beijing Tongzhou Blood Center, both of whom have bloodmobiles located at key public places throughout the city, such as Olympic Park, Chaoyang Park, Carrefour Supermarket next to China Exhibition Center (3rd Ring Road), and elsewhere. Potential donors can contact the Beijing Blood Center (http://www.bjblood.com – Chinese only website, or Chinese speakers can call Tel: 010-69513399) to find out where the bloodmobile is presently parked.
• For non-Chinese speakers wishing to donate blood who may require assistance, please contact the BJU Lab (Tel: 010-5927 7159). BJU Lab staff will help answer questions, can help donors liaise with the Beijing Blood Center, and will generally guide non-Chinese speakers through the process as a complimentary service to the community.

2) Can I be charged for donating blood?

• No, donating blood is always free.

3) Does BJU profit from blood? Why would I be charged for a transfusion when blood was donated freely?

• BJU does not and would never seek to unfairly profit from providing blood itself. Apart from normal fees involved in administering transfusions, patients are charged for costs incurred by the Beijing Blood Center and by BJU for testing, transport, storage, handling, and retesting. We conduct additional testing on all blood brought in from public blood centers to effectively reduce or rule out the chance for transmittal of viruses like Hepatitis A, B, C, syphilis and HIV in ways not checked by these centers. This assures the safest possible blood in case transfusions are necessary.

4) I want to donate my own blood for my own surgery, can I do that?

• Yes, individuals with hemoglobin higher than 110g/L can donate their own blood 3-5 weeks before a surgical procedure to be available as needed. This can be done directly at BJU. This is common practice for many procedures, and must be done several days before the procedure takes place. If you are preparing to have surgery, you should consult your doctor on whether and how to donate your own blood.

5) I want my family members or close friends to donate blood for my own surgery, can I arrange this?

• Yes, this can be arranged. In this case, blood must be donated to the Beijing Blood Center a few days before a procedure. Donors should bring a formal request form from BJU to the Beijing Blood Center and ensure their blood is specifically reserved by BJU for a definite patient. Please check with your doctor for more details.

C. Blood Testing

1) How do I know the blood I receive in a transfusion is safe?

• Before providing blood to patients in need, Beijing United Family Hospital re-tests all blood brought in from the Beijing Blood Center. BJU also conducts a series of additional tests that ensure transfusions at BJU are the safest anywhere in the city. The additional testing we undertake effectively reduces and virtually rules out the chance for transmittal of viruses like HIV in ways not checked by these centers. This assures the safest possible blood in case transfusions are necessary.

2) How is this different from what the Beijing Blood Center tests?

• The Beijing Blood Center tests for only antibodies against HIV and other viruses, while BJU retests this blood for both antibodies and antigens. With our extra steps, we can detect recently acquired infections. BJU therefore ensures the safest blood available. The BJU Laboratory also tests a patient’s blood for red blood cell antibodies; reducing the risk of a reaction to any transfusion.

D. More Information

1) Where do I go if I have need additional information or have more specific questions?

• Should you have more questions about blood, please to contact the BJU Laboratory at Tel: 010-5927 7159 or email: lab@ufh.com.cn.
• For specific medical questions regarding an individual situation, you should contact your doctor. If you wish to make an appointment with a BJU medical professional, please call the BJU main desk at 010-5927 7000.
• Frequently visit the BJU website for the latest information at http://pudong2.ufh.com.cn.