Logistics on transfusion support for patients undergoing same-day surgery

Scheduling of same-day surgery poses special challenges to the logistics of presurgical testing, particularly for patients who may need blood transfus ion during or after the operation. Blood type and screen results routinely performed for all patients scheduled for surgery are valid for 3 days only However, hospitals and other health care organizations that provide same-da y surgery have individualized institutional policies to serve their particu lar patient populations without violating the spirit of the type and screen policy, and ensuring that the patient is provided safe transfusion support .