United Blood Services to Introduce ISBT 128

United Blood Services is putting together our timeline to introduce the new ISBT 128 labeling system on all blood products supplied to hospitals and will keep customers informed of our plans and our progress. AABB, in Association Bulletin #05-12, established a May 1, 2008 implementation deadline for its accredited blood centers and hospital transfusion services.

ISBT 128 will be replacing the old standard of blood labeling, ABC Codabar. The new system will be able to handle more product description codes than Codabar can produce, and the Donation Identification Number will be printed in a single bar code on the blood product label. Code 128 results in fewer system and identification errors and fewer misreads on automated instruments. ISBT 128 will enhance safety for transfusion recipients by creating a worldwide standard of information to be used in blood product labeling. In order to ease the transition from Codabar to ISBT 128, methods for reading both label types will be in place upon implementation.

 In a world of increased globalization and multinational relief efforts, blood products often cross over the boundaries of nations and continents. International bar code standardization will ensure that the necessary information is included on all blood products, regardless of their origin or destination. In the long run, bar code standardization will result in lower operating costs, as it cuts down the need to translate or track blood that is imported from another facility. No date has yet been set for complete worldwide implementation, but currently most European and Middle Eastern countries have switched to the new labeling system. Only one U.S. blood center is currently utilizing the new labels, but all branches of the U.S. military have made the transition.

More information on United Blood Services’ new labeling timeline will be forthcoming. In the meantime, for more information on the ISBT 128 labeling system go to the ICCBBA Inc. website.