A Mediware Executive Summit Report

For more than twenty years Blood Banks have maintained vigilance in monitoring inventory levels, storage/refrigeration and freeze units, as well as the data management of post-transfusion records for product administration, outcomes and complications. Historically, bone, tissues and other biologic products have not been stored under the regulatory compliance that blood products have. More recently, however, regulatory agencies have added required standards for bone and tissue, similar to those for blood. As a result hospitals are turning to their blood banks to manage these materials.

“We don't have this kind of back-up computer system that enables us to do it all. Yet, all the functionality they need for a unit of red cells, they also need for a frozen femur sitting in our freezer.” - Dr. Paul Ness, Johns Hopkins Health System