By KALEY LYON

klyon@dailynews.net

Blood bank services at Hays Medical Center have returned to normal following a week-long disruption in the ability to cross-match transfusions locally.

HMC acquires its samples from a laboratory maintained by Hays-based Quest Diagnostics. During a quarterly survey, the College of American Pathologists was required to temporarily suspend cross-match testing at the laboratory as the result of two clerical errors and one technical error in the completion of survey materials, according to a statement from company spokeswoman Barb Short.

"During this interruption, we worked closely with Hays Medical Center to continue to meet their blood banking needs," the statement reads. "We have performed an internal investigation and have taken corrective action to ensure that the errors leading to the service interruption will not be repeated."

The technical error reported pertained to the performance of a CAP-required sample laboratory test, and the clerical errors were in the manual completion of survey forms.

The cross-match services were re-launched last week, after further testing confirmed the situation was resolved.

According to Dr. Lyle Noordhoek, director of transfusion services, the act of cross-matching eliminates significant incompatibilities between the donor's blood and the recipient's blood.

The recipient's blood also is screened for antibody and other reactions to donor cells, he said.

At Hays Medical Center, most patients did not notice a disruption, said Chief Development Officer Jodi Schmidt.

The situation, however, did require physicians and nursing personnel to plan ahead in the care of patients, so cross-matching could be accomplished at another location. HMC worked with hospitals in Wichita, Great Bend, Hill City and WaKeeney to continue providing blood transfusions when needed, she said.

For emergency situations, O-negative blood transfusions were kept on site for immediate release.

"It really meant that in order to get cross-matching done for the patients, we needed to plan ahead and give ourselves the additional time needed to work with other communities," Schmidt said. "Our physicians and nursing staff really stepped up to the plate and worked with us to make the changes that needed to happen."

The ability to type and screen the samples was not affected, Schmidt said.

Only one patient was transferred to another hospital due to the need for an unusual type of antibodies, Schmidt said, noting everything was back to normal as of Friday.

"Now we've got everything back in place for local cross-matching, and it's business as usual," she said.