The Blood Bank Transfusion Service Lab at Lancaster Community Hospital provides technologically advanced inpatient and outpatient blood transfusion services. Staffed by licensed technologists, the lab provides a safe and rapidly available blood supply to meet the needs of all patients. The lab operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with supervision by a Blood Bank Medical Director and highly skilled medical technologists with extensive experience in blood transfusion therapy.

The blood supply in the United States is subjected to such extensive testing that it is currently regarded as the safest blood transfusion system in the world. Some patients may, however, wish to participate in an autologous blood program, in which they donate their own blood days or weeks before a scheduled surgery. Then, at the time of their surgical procedure, they can be transfused with their own blood, thus avoiding many, but not all, risks associated with transfusion.

Our Transfusion Service Lab has made arrangements with FDA-licensed blood centers in the region to enable patients to participate in such autologous blood programs. Patients who wish to have their own blood available for a scheduled surgery should discuss this with their physicians, who can counsel them as to whether they would be medically able to donate for themselves. If the patient and physician decide that autologous donations would be appropriate, the patient will receive specific instructions for making those donations.

Sometimes patients cannot donate blood for themselves and would prefer to have a family member or a close friend donate blood specifically for their use. The Transfusion Service Lab can also help patients arrange these "directed" or "designated" donations. Again, the patient should discuss this with his or her physician, who must authorize such donations. The patient will receive specific instructions for arranging these donations. 

The American Red Cross
Lancaster Community Hospital is also in close partnership with the American Red Cross. Together, our goal is to be able to supply the entire Antelope Valley with blood donated from our own valley residents. For more information on the American Red Cross, follow the link listed on this page under 'Related Links', or call Cheryl Hoover of the American Red Cross, Donor Resources Development, at 661-810-6583.