Blood Bank Transfusion Service
The Blood Bank Transfusion Service at Palmdale Regional Medical Center provides technologically advanced inpatient and outpatient transfusion services. Licensed clinical laboratory scientists have extensive experience in blood transfusion therapy and can quickly provide safe blood supplies to meet patient needs. The Blood Bank is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is supervised by the Laboratory Medical Director.
The American Red Cross provides blood for Palmdale Regional Medical Center patients, and uses only volunteer donors who pass stringent qualification tests from the federal Food and Drug Administration and the American Association of Blood Banks. The blood supply in the United States is subjected to extensive testing and is regarded as one of the safest blood transfusion systems in the world.
People who want to donate blood for use in the Antelope Valley may contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543). The Red Cross also operates an Antelope Valley Donor Resources Line at 661-810-6583.
Patients who are planning elective surgery may wish to donate blood for their own use during their procedure, a process known as autologous donation. Patients should talk to their physicians to find out if they would be medically able to donate blood for themselves. Patients receive specific instructions from their physician for making autologous donations when they and their physicians decide it is appropriate.
In some cases, patients cannot donate blood for themselves but would prefer to have a family member or friend donate blood specifically for their use. These directed donations can be handled by the American Red Cross in much the same way as autologous donations. The physician's office will provide the patient with specific instructions.
The American Red Cross
Palmdale Regional Medical Center works in close partnership with the American Red Cross to meet their goal of being able to supply the entire Antelope Valley with blood donated from valley residents. For more information, visit the American Red Cross website or call the American Red Cross, Donor Resources Development at 661-810-6583.