As soon as a blood donation has been collected at a Rhode Island Blood Center donor center or blood drive, it is processed and prepared for patient transfusions. This process ensures the blood is safe, and the right blood type and product is available for the right patient.
Your blood’s journey – helping patients in need
Tests Performed on Every Unit of Blood
- ABO Typed (a test to determine an individual’s blood type)
- HBV (Hepatitis B Virus)
- HCV (Hepatitis C Virus)
- HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
- HTLV (Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus)
- Syphilis
- West Nile Virus (WNV)
- Unexpected red cell antibodies that may have formed in response to an earlier exposure to blood (e.g., through transfusion or pregnancy)
- Rare or special antigen traits (that could mean a donor is a precise match for a recipient in need of special transfusions, including patients suffering from sickle cell disease)