Normal order
The term "normal order" refers to the ordering from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders (RKV) of standard blood products to systematically replenish the blood products stock in the hospital blood bank. The hospital makes the normal order using RKV's web-based informatics application, ROOS (Red Cross Online Ordering System), and the ordered blood products are delivered to the hospital using the 'Normal Delivery' procedure.
The agreement of RKV with the hospital regarding the supply of blood products provides that for one or more of the standard blood products an 'agreed stock' is established in the hospital blood bank, corresponding to the 'ideal' number of units available in the hospital blood bank for a given blood product type after supply by RKV. In addition, the same agreement refers to an advice from RKV that, for those blood products for which an agreed stock has been established, the hospital uses the attainment of a minimum lower limit for the number of units in stock of one type of product or blood group as an alert signal to place a normal order with RKV by means of ROOS to replenish the hospital blood bank stock for all products in stock.
The 'ideal number' and 'minimum number' parameters per blood product type agreed between RKV and hospital are recorded in the ROOS application. The procedure 'Change of hospital blood stock parameters in ROOS' describes the way both parameters are recorded and maintained by RKV in consultation with the person responsible at the hospital blood bank.
Ordering Procedure
The ROOS manual describes how the normal ordering of erythrocyte concentrates, VPVIM or platelet concentrates must be carried out so that they can be delivered to the hospital blood bank in the name of and on behalf of RKV in accordance with the procedure for normal delivery.
Irradiated erythrocyte concentrates and extensively phenotyped erythrocyte concentrates are also among the products that can be requested via the normal ordering procedure via ROOS.
The emergency procedure for ordering in the event of ROOS failure can be found in the ROOS manual.
VPVIM and erythrocyte concentrates must be ordered via ROOS by 9 a.m. at the latest to enable same-day delivery via the normal delivery procedure.
In order to avoid unnecessarily fragmented, and therefore inefficient, transports, the ROOS application requests that at least 6 units, or a multiple of 6 units, always be ordered for normal ordering of VPVIM.
For platelet concentrates, the latest order time is 11am and will be delivered the same day in the afternoon to the extent available through the normal delivery procedure.
Shelf life PLC
The chart below shows the minimum shelf life of platelet concentrates delivered by the normal delivery procedure as a function of the delivery day and the platelet concentrate stock agreement with the hospital.
Click on the image for a full-screen view of it.
Form (to be used in emergency procedure only)
Last updated 16/04/24.
