16Th International Haemovigilance Seminar
Barcelona March 5-7 th, 2014
The blood transfusion service of the Central Hospital of Lisbon (Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central) is composed of six hospitals that cover several areas: pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, hematology, and general surgery, and trauma, transplantation: pulmonary, hepatic, cardiac, renal and intensive care units.
The quality and safety of transfusion are two inseparable pillars in this service.
The use of the methodology by scanning barcodes started in 2007 and it is currently fully implemented in all but two hospitals. These have only recently been incorporated to the Central Hospital of Lisbon.
If properly used this methodology enables the control of all steps of the transfusion process.
It is certainly an added value in transfusion safety. However, it must be controlled, audited and non-compliances must be continuously rectified.