Transfusion Medicine

The UCM Blood Bank and our highly skilled technologists provide transfusion support for our high acuity and complex patients, including level 1 trauma, high risk obstetrics, solid organ and stem cell transplant, hematology-oncology, and patients on extracorporeal circuits. UCM Blood Bank is accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (aabb) and is registered with the U.S. FDA.

We incorporate red cell genotyping (performed by our reference laboratory) to optimize blood matching for hard-to-treat patients with sickle cell disease, thalassemia, warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, or those being treated with advanced immunotherapeutics that interfere with standard blood bank testing.

Our Transfusion Medicine physicians consult in cases of transfusion reactions and difficult crossmatches to diagnose the disorder and maximize patient safety during future transfusions. UCM Blood Bank provides a full-spectrum of blood product modification, including irradiation, splitting and pooling to support our patient population.

Our Transfusion Medicine physicians are also experts in apheresis and direct a consult service for therapeutic plasma exchange, red cell exchange, stem cell harvest, and leuko- and platelet-reduction

Our Blood Donor Center collects whole blood units, which are processed into red blood cells and plasma, as well as platelets collected by apheresis. Healthy volunteers donate in our DCAM location as well as through coordinated blood drives at outreach events. All of our collections are used exclusively for UCM patients. After the blood is drawn, samples are extensively tested to ensure that donated products are free of infectious diseases that can be transmitted through blood.

Donate Today

Blood donation is incredibly important in providing critical blood products to a variety of patients.

For appointments or questions, please call us at 773-702-6247 or email us at DonorServices@uchicagomedicine.org.