Articles
A SUPERIOR COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR RAPIDLY SEARCHING AND SELECTING DONOR RED CELLS TO RESOLVE COMPLEX ANTIBODY PROBLEMS. M. W. Lankiewicz, R. S. Shirey, P.Rowny, P.M. Ness. The Johns Hopkins hospital, Baltimore MD
We have developed a computer program using Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows® that allows the user to create an inventory of commercial panel donors and frozen rare cells, and to rapidly search and select RBC’s of any phenotype. The 28 principal antigens (AG) are graphically displayed with color labels for clarity. Different AG display options may be selected to match various suppliers’ conventions, facilitating data entry. The AG status indicators default to a “0” (neg) setting that can be switched to a “+” (pos) or blank using the mouse and pointer to enter cells or initiate searches. Up to 8 extended AG typings (e.g. S1(a-), Yk(a-)) may be stored for each donor. AG profiles for each lot can be generated for validation. The “search for match” function allows the operator to search the data for virtually any phenotype, including combinations of principle and extended AG types. Profiles are entered using the mouse and pointer and clicking to a + or 0 for the relevant AGs. The inventory is searched in reverse chronological order. When a match is found all the donor data are displayed. The user may select that cell or continue to search for another match. The requested profile can be altered while composing the selected panel, and selections may be previewed on the screen at any time. A useable panel worksheet is then printed. Advantages over other programs include user-friendly mouse operation for most functions, complete flexibility when composing selected panels, the ability to preview panels while selecting cells, and the superior quality of the final worksheet.
Dawn’s Abstract—first implementation at the American Red Cross National Reference Lab 1995
APPLICATION OF A SOFTWARE PROGRAM FOR CELL SELECTION IN THE REFERENCE LABORATORY.
D. Harrison, D.M. Mallory. American Red Cross National Reference Lab, Rockville, MD.
Background: Antigen Plus(AP) is a software program designed to automate red cell searches by phenotype, prepare and print selected panels, manage RBC inventory and locate frozen cells. Methods: Over 4 months, five techs were timed using the manual method (MM) to select and transcribe red cell panels. After minimal training, the same techs recorded their panel preparation and printing times using AP.
The AP full search of liquid and frozen cells by date was used. Results: The MM yielded 117 panels for a total of 603 cells selected in 1,271 minutes. The average time per cell selected manually was 2.1 minutes. AP yielded 48 panels for a total of 278 cells in 337 minutes. The average time per cell selected using AP was 1.21 minutes.
Conclusions: AP achieved a 42 percent time savings. Greater time savings should be seen as computer proficiency increases and will translate directly into a saving of tech time and money. Further time savings occur using other ways to search for specific cells, i.e., a search for only frozen cells or a speed search by rare antigen only. Our current inventory in AP is 6901 cell samples.