Technical Expertise

ARUP Blood Services is a Utah-based blood donation center, wholly owned by the University of Utah, and is the sole provider of blood products for the University of Utah Hospital, Huntsman Cancer Hospital, Primary Children’s Medical Center, and Shriners Hospital for Children. These facilities provide many unique services to patients from all parts of our state, including specialized surgical procedures, trauma care, cancer treatment, bone marrow transplants, organ and tissue transplants, and the only burn care center in the Intermountain West. Because of the specialized care these hospitals provide, they use nearly 25 percent of all the blood transfused in Utah. ARUP Blood Services strives to continually improve patient care by providing a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood products for local patients in need. In addition, the Transfusion Services Department provides full-service blood banking services, including blood typing, screening, crossmatching, antibody work-ups, component modifications, and other laboratory testing for all patients receiving blood products at these institutions.

The Immunohematology Reference Laboratory (IRL) is one of only 54 laboratories in the United States that is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). AABB accreditation represents an extremely high level of performance and medical expertise, including reliable consultation assistance for patient clinical diagnosis relating to immunohematology problems. The IRL provides 24-hour expert assistance in resolving complex immunohematologic problems and in locating serologically compatible rare blood for transfusion. Medical directors and staff provide clinical consultation and test interpretation for resolution of complex antibody problems. Services include the Donath Landsteiner test, isohemagglutinin titers, resolution of warm and cold auto antibodies, multiple antibodies, clinically-significant antibodies to high frequency antigens, extended red cell phenotypes, ABO discrepancies, red cell phenotypes on cells with positive direct antiglobulin tests, prenatal antibody studies, and classification of polyagglutinable red blood cells.

• Additional Information: Learn more about the ARUP Blood Services local donor centers

The University Hospitals and Clinics Clinical Laboratory provides laboratory testing for the University of Utah and its outlying clinics. Services provided by these laboratories include hematology, hemostasis, special and general chemistry, stat toxicology, therapeutic drug monitoring, limited microbiology, and urinalysis. Testing services are for local clients as well as national ARUP clients.

The Phlebotomy Department provides phlebotomy services for inpatient units and outpatient clinics at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital and Institute, University of Utah Hospital, University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of Utah Red Butte Clinics, Utah Diabetes Center, Madsen Clinic, and Coumadin Clinic. The Support Services Department encompasses client services, exception handling, and specimen processing for these same organizations. In addition, Phlebotomy and Support Services collect, process, and ship numerous study specimens.