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What is a directed donation?
A directed donation is blood that is donated by designated individuals
to be transfused to a specific patient. All directed donations MUST
be requested by the patient's attending physician(s). Directed
donors MUST meet the same criteria as regular blood donors.
How do I arrange to receive blood
donated by family or friends?
A physician's written order MUST
be faxed to the Autologous and Directed Program of The Blood Center.
The physician may obtain a "Request for Autologous/Directed
Donation" forms by calling 713-791-6608 Monday through Friday 8
a.m. - 5 p.m. It is the responsibility of the directed donor to
make sure the written order is sent by the physician to Gulf Coast
Regional Blood Center (GCRBC). The following information is mandatory so
that we may process the physicians request properly:
 | Patient's
full legal name |
| Social
security number (If a social security number is not available, then
the patient's hospital medical records number) |
| Patient's
date of birth |
| Hospital
name, city |
| Intended
date of usage |
| Blood
components needed (i.e. P.RBC, FFP, CRYO) |
| Physician's
name and office phone number |
What qualifications must friends or
family members have to donate blood for my use?
All directed donors must meet the same basic health criteria as
regular donors. They must be in good health, at least 110 pounds,
and age 17 or older. Certain medical conditions and/or medications
may make people ineligible to donate blood.
Will the blood donated for me be
tested?
Yes. All blood donations are blood typed and tested for infectious
diseases as required by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and AABB
(American Association of Blood Banking).
How can I be sure the blood donated
for me will be available for my usage?
The Blood Center will make every effort to see that your blood is
available when you have your surgery. There are circumstances,
however, that could prevent your donations from being available for use.
These circumstances include a positive laboratory test result for
certain infectious diseases, not enough time between collection &
processing of the blood and intended date of use, the breakage of the
blood collection bag during component preparation, etc.
If for any reason a directed donation does not meet the criteria
mandated by FDA and AABB, the unit(s) will not be released for
transfusion purposes and the specific reason will be provided to the
patient's physician. It will not be made available to the patient or
their family. This provides a measure of confidentiality for the
directed donor.
How soon before my surgery should
the directed donations be made?
Directed donations must be made no later than 3 days before and
no earlier than 10 days before scheduled date of usage. This takes
into consideration expiration date of product drawn and allows time for
The Blood Center to do all testing, screening procedures and
transportation of the blood to the hospital in time for patient's use.
Can I receive blood from family
members or friends in an emergency situation?
No. All blood must be tested and processed before
transfusion. This requires that the donation be made at least 72
hours before it is needed.
Where can my family and friends
donate blood for me?
Donations can be made at any Blood Center facility (see back
page). Directed
donations will not be accepted at mobile blood drives. The
donor MUST call The Blood Center facility of their choice to schedule an
appointment for their directed donation.
Is
there a charge for directed donation?
Yes. An additional fee is charged to the patient for each pint
drawn to cover extra processing and administrative costs. These
fees are charged to the hospital and will be included in the patient's
hospital bill.
Will insurance cover these costs?
Insurance policies vary, and it is up to the patient to determine
whether the costs associated with this procedure will be covered by the
patient's insurance carrier. It is recommended that this information be
obtained prior to the donation(s) being made.
What if the people donating for me
live outside The Blood Center's service area?
In most cases, blood can be donated elsewhere and shipped here.
Your donor should check with their local blood center. All charges
associated with these donations must be prepaid prior to shipping. ALL
units must be received at GCRBC no later than 72 hours prior to the
scheduled date of usage.
For additional information you may contact the Autologous and
Directed Program at 713-791-6608 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Or you can e-mail ad@giveblood.org
for information.
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