The BCSH guideline on addressograph labels: experience at a cardiothoracicunit and findings of a telephone survey

In 1998 we implemented a BCSH recommendation that addressograph labels shou ld not be used on blood transfusion specimen tubes. Over a 12-month period before the ban was introduced our laboratory received 5964 red cell transfu sion requests, 182 (3.1%) of which contained an error in the identification details (ID) supplied on the request form and/or specimen. Three of these errors were of the 'wrong patient' type, i.e. the sample belonged to a diff erent patient from the one whose ID appeared on the specimen tube and reque st form. Over the 12 months after the ban was introduced 511 (8.1%) of 6326 requests contained a labelling error, an increase in error rate of 165%; n o wrong-patient errors were identified, however. In a survey, seven (29.2%) of 24 transfusion laboratories in the UK accepted specimens labelled with addressograph stickers; in four of these cases a local blood transfusion co mmittee had agreed that the BCSH guideline should not be followed. We belie ve the BCSH guideline is valid; its implementation, however, has major fina ncial and workload implications, which probably explains why many hospitals apparently do not comply with it.