The Comprehensive Blood Bank Survey Program of the College of American Pathologists--1977

Abstract

The 1977 CAP Comprehensive Blood Bank Survey was sent to 2487 laboratories in the United States and five foreign countries. The results show that ABO and Rh testing has a continued concurrence of greater than 94.8% between participating and referee laboratories, while antibody detection was 95.9% effective on the type problem normally encountered in a transfusion service. Cross match showed a concurrence rate of 97.3% or better. Although these testings are artificial and cannot be directly extrapolated into effectiveness of patient care, they can be compared with each other and show a standard of excellency in the laboratory which is a good or better than that found in previous studies. A series of ungraded specimens and questionnaires shows that most laboratories used a 51 degree C heat elution method for antibody elution, but slightly better results were obtained with the Rubin technic. A second study showed that the grading of a positive direct antiglobulin test was fairly reproducible throughout the country.