The Division of Transfusion Medicine works 24x7 & is responsible for the collection processing testing & storage of blood to be given to patients at Sakra World Hospital (traditional "blood banking"). The blood bank also has facilities for Plateletpheresis to cater to patients with thrombocytopenia. The blood bank provides transfusion support to patients with hemophilia and related bleeding disorders and thalassemia Transfusion Medicine also performs therapeutic apheresis procedures to treat patients with neurologic, kidney, and blood diseases.

Transfusion Medicine includes the following work units:

Donor Services

Donor Services collects the majority of the blood products needed by patients at SWH Donor Services personnel schedule appointments for donation, counsel & evaluate potential blood donors and collect their blood.

Component Laboratory

Each whole blood donation can be separated into its different components and be used to help up to four patients! The Component Laboratory prepares these different blood products.

Immunohematology Laboratory

The Immunohematology Laboratory helps patients who have formed an antibody against red blood cells due to previous red blood cell exposures such as pregnancy or transfusion. The laboratory will identify which portion of the red blood cell the antibody recognizes. The identification will help select blood products for future transfusions to prevent the antibody from interacting with and possibly destroying the transfused blood. Multiple tests may be required to identify a red blood cell antibody. Some of the test names include antibody screening & identification, antigen typing, direct, and globulin.

Quality Assurance Unit

The Quality Assurance Unit watches over the safety, purity, potency, and efficacy of the blood products collected and transfused at SWH.

Therapeutic Apheresis Unit

The Therapeutic Apheresis Unit uses special machines to remove disease-causing substances and cells from the blood of patients. In addition, the unit also collects stem cells for blood and bone marrow transplantation.

Transfusion Laboratory

The Transfusion Laboratory is responsible for ensuring that the best and safest blood products are given to patients. Laboratory staff members perform cross-match testing to make certain that a patient is given compatible blood.

In addition, the Division of Transfusion Medicine is involved in the training of health care professionals.