In our recent MaxQ Insights post, Using MaxPlus MTP Cooler® to Standardize Processes Across Blood Banks, we had an opportunity to learn about creating efficiencies and streamlining operations from the blood bank leadership of a multi-hospital network. In the post, we focused on how they use the MaxPlus MTP Cooler for massive transfusion protocol requests.
In this MaxQ & A, the same Manager of Transfusion Services and Lead Medical Technologist share more about innovative ways they are using other MaxQ products in their blood bank operations.
Q. We’ve talked about your use of the MaxPlus MTP coolers. Are there other products you’ve used in your blood bank?
Our first foray into MaxQ was before we even got the MTP coolers. We started with the MaxPlus Alpha Transport coolers because a few of our micro-hospitals approached us to support them with transfusion services. There are three micro-hospitals with something like eight inpatient beds and eight ER beds. One of the things they wanted was not only transfusion support for the inpatients, but they also wanted to have emergency release blood in the ER. We thoroughly validated them for one unit, two units, five units, and ten units. We also validated them for room temperature transport, which may be kind of ‘off-label.’ To do that, we bought some additional gel packs, kept them at room temperature, and we validated for transport of platelets as well, so we could ship platelets between sites.
Q. Since the MaxPlus Alpha Cooler has an integrated electronic temperature monitoring device, how did you accommodate the room temperature products?
To keep things simple, we purchased a separate temperature monitor that we can switch out for transporting room temperature products. MaxQ was very flexible and accommodating.
Q. You also said you’ve implemented the MaxPlus EMT cooler for your hospital needs. Can you tell us more about that?
We’ve implemented the MaxQ EMT cooler at all of our sites. Even though the EMT cooler is intended for emergency medical transport, we primarily use it for running blood to our ER. Anytime we get a Trauma Level 1 paged overhead, we need to respond to the ER with two units of blood. In the past, we would show up with the blood, which previously was the source of a lot of blood wastage. The ER would take the blood, and they would often call us back 20 minutes later and say we don’t really need this anymore. Then we’d have to throw it away because it was out of temperature. We didn’t have coolers specifically for that ER request, and the EMT coolers are perfect.
We also have a cancer care center across the street. Our old coolers were so big and bulky – and heavy! They were so hard to transport that we would give people a giant blue push cart to carry the coolers, and then the carts would disappear. Now we can use the EMT cooler – which has a shoulder strap on the transport box. It’s so easy.
Q. Since you’ve been so creative and resourceful with MaxQ coolers, are there any other ideas you’d like to share?
We’re looking at adding more EMT coolers to some hospitals because they definitely serve many purposes. One of our hospitals is interested in the OR coolers, so we’re looking at that as well since they are useful for surgeons who want a quantity of blood in the OR when they are doing more complicated surgeries and procedures. MaxQ also showed us a small pouch that holds just one or two units, which could also have an application. MaxQ has a lot of different and interesting products that can serve a lot of different needs, which we think is a real big advantage for hospital networks like ours.
“I can’t put enough emphasis on the flexibility of the applications for the MaxQ equipment and the reliability of the environment in the cooler!”
Manager, Transfusion Services
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