The Blood Center

Reference lab - provides transfusion services (blood cross match and antibody identification) to client hospitals, to ensure safe and effective blood and blood components for transfusion to patients at over 40 facilities. The reference lab also resolves complex serological cases and provides rare blood units through the american rare donor program (ardp).

Outside testing - the blood center provides infectious disease testing to determine the suitability of donated blood, platelets and plasma. This testing is performed for hospitals and other health care organizations located primarily in louisiana and mississippi.

Other related areas included in other program services is therapeutic apheresis. Therapeutic apheresis is the process of removing abnormal or pathologic substances from a patient's blood using automated blood cell separator equipment, while returning all other blood components. Red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, or platelets may be selectively removed, as requsted by the patient's physician. Examples would be the removal of abnormal red blood cells in a sickle cell anemia patient, leukemia cells prior to chemotherapy, plasma in patients with abnormal antibody production or platelets in patients with high counts at risk for stroke. The blood center nursing staff, under the supervision of the medical director, brings the latest mobile therapeutic apheresis technology directly to the patient's bedside.