Directed Donation
Blood Bank and
Transfusion Services
Fast Facts
What is a directed donation?
When someone donates blood or a blood component such
as plasma for use by a specific patient, it is called a directed
donation.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia partners with the
American Red Cross to provide services for directed blood
donation for a specific patient for an upcoming transfusion
and/or surgery.
All donors, whether or not they are donating for someone
they know, are carefully screened before they are allowed
to donate blood. After the donation, laboratory tests are
done on each unit of blood to be sure the patient receives
blood that is as safe as possible. Directed donations are only
an option when there is enough time to do the necessary
laboratory tests. The blood type of the donor and the patient
must be the same (preferred) or compatible. Please see the
Blood Type Compatibility List in this pamphlet. Directed
donations cannot be done for emergency situations.
How safe is the blood supply?
The blood supply is safer today than it has ever been.
The banked blood from community volunteers is as safe
as directed donation blood. Blood is collected with sterile
equipment that is used only once and then thrown away.
The American Red Cross takes many steps to be sure that
all donated blood is safe. These safety checks start before
the actual donation process begins. A medical staff member
will take a confidential health history, asking each donor
about risk behaviors. This helps to identify safe and
unsafe donors. Although the Red Cross maintains the
highest safety standards, the safest blood you can receive
is your own. This is called an autologous blood donation,
and it allows a patient to donate blood for himself before
an upcoming surgery. Your doctor will decide whether
this is an option for you. For more information about
autologous donations, call the Red Cross at
1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543).
Who can be a directed donor?
A directed donor must meet the same requirements as any
volunteer blood donor. Generally, healthy donors who are at
least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds may donate.
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 16-year-olds may donate
with a consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian.
At the time of donation, we will take a short medical history
and measure your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and
hemoglobin. Federal regulations require that donors wait
56 days between whole blood donations, but apheresis
platelet donors may donate more frequently.
How many directed donors
will a patient need?
The number of directed donors needed depends on
the amount of blood ordered by the doctor. You may
not need all of the blood that is ordered. The American
Red Cross cannot guarantee that blood collected
from every donor you identify will be right for you.
Components that can be directly donated are: red
blood cells, plasma or cryo, platelets, and whole blood.
Blood Type Compatibility List
To donate RED BLOOD CELLS
To donate PLASMA or CRYO
If the patient
blood type is:
If the patient
blood type is:
To donate RED BLOOD CELLS,
the donor blood type must be:
To donate PLASMA or CRYO,
the donor blood type must be:
A Pos
A+ or A- or O+ or O-
A Pos
A+, A-, AB+, AB-
A Neg
A- or O-
A Neg
A+, A-, AB+, AB-
B Pos
B+ or B- or O+ or O-
B Pos
B+, B-, AB+, AB-
B Neg
B- or O-
B Neg
B+, B-, AB+, AB-
AB Pos
AB+ or AB- or O+ or O-
AB Pos
AB+, AB-
AB Neg
AB- or O-
AB Neg
AB+, AB-
O Pos
O+ or O-
O Pos
O+ or O-, A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-
O Neg
O-
O Neg
O+, O -, A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-
To donate PLATELETS
If the patient
blood type is:
To donate WHOLE BLOOD
To donate PLATELETS, the
donor blood type must be:
If the patient
blood type is:
To donate WHOLE BLOOD,
the donor blood type must be:
A Pos
A+ or A-, AB+, AB-
A Pos
A+ or A-
A Neg
A-, AB-
A Neg
A-
B Pos
B+ or B-, AB+, AB-
B Pos
B+ or B-
B Neg
B-, AB-
B Neg
B-
AB Pos
AB+ or AB-
AB Pos
AB+ or AB-
AB Neg
AB-
AB Neg
AB-
O Pos
O+, O-, A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-
O Pos
O+ or O-
O Neg
O-, A-, B-, AB-
O Neg
O-
I want to select my own blood
donors for myself or my child.
What do I do next?
1 Make sure that there is enough time for your
directed donations. The Red Cross needs AT LEAST
six working days between the date of the donation
and your blood transfusion date to prepare and
deliver your directed donor blood.
2 Discuss the directed donor option with your doctor.
The basic information you need to know is:
Date of your procedure ______________________
Where will the procedure be done? ______________
How many pints of blood will you need? __________
What are the blood types of all potential donors?
(Refer to the chart on the inside panel for compatibility.)
________________________________________
3 The Red Cross has a special orange tag that is used
to identify a directed donor pint at the time of
donation. You may get these tags from your child’s
doctor or your child’s hospital’s blood bank. Fill out
the information requested. Give one completed tag
to each person who wants to be a directed donor for
you. The directed donor must bring the completed
tag to the donation location. The tag is used to
identify each of your directed donor units. The Red
Cross will attach the tags to your directed donor
units and make sure they get to your hospital.
Directed donors may call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, to find convenient donation locations.
Directed donations should not be made earlier
than three weeks before the expected date of your
blood transfusion. Directed donations cannot be
made less than six working days from the expected
date of your blood transfusion.
donor units that have passed Red Cross testing will be sent to
CHOP’s Blood Bank. CHOP’s Blood Bank will decide which
directed donor units are right for you. If you need more blood,
the Red Cross will provide it from the community blood
supply. You may or may not need the directed donor blood.
The Red Cross follows strict rules on donor privacy. Any
positive test results will be sent to the donor within eight
weeks of donating. No information will be available from
the Red Cross to you about test results or the number of
directed donor units available for a specific patient. If you
need to know how many units are available for you or your
child, call the CHOP Blood Bank Transfusion Service
Resource Coordinator at 267-426-5368 or the CHOP
Blood Bank Manager at 215-590-3155.
What will a directed donation cost?
There is no charge to a blood donor who makes a directed
donation. The Red Cross does charge hospitals a small
handling fee for each directed donor pint. This handling
fee covers the expenses for testing, processing, labeling
and transporting directed donor pints. CHOP does
charge the patient a directed fee for these services.
What are the next steps for the donor?
Directed donations are made by appointment only.
Once a physician decides a transfusion is likely, the donor
can make an appointment to donate blood by calling
1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
If you have questions, please call the CHOP Blood Bank
Transfusion Coordinator at 267-426-5368, the CHOP
Blood Bank Manager at 215-590-3155 or the American
Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
Every unit of blood collected will be tested for the AIDS
virus, hepatitis, syphilis and other viruses. All directed
5508/500/02-12
What happens to the blood after
it has been donated?