ABSTRACT
The management of a transfusion service laboratory and the practice of transfusion medicine in a hospital setting offer intriguing and stimulating combinations of direct patient care opportunities and sophisticated challenges in medical management. The type of processing utilized routinely may traditionally have been selected by the blood supplier, depending on the capabilities of the service or the transfusing facility and its physicians, based on their practice of transfusion medicine. Platelet transfusions can be complicated by poor response that necessitates investigation to provide a transfusion approach that will secure hemo- stasis for the thrombocytopenic patient. The transfusion service may have the opportunity to improve patient care by expanding its involvement in other, related services. Engagement of a transfusion committee in the process of reviewing clinical transfusion decisions should begin with establishment of audit criteria. The most common form of transfusion audit is retrospective in nature. A.
