Compatibility Testing Workflow

The compatibility-testing workflow is the sequential, dependency-linked pathway a specimen travels from receipt through ABO/Rh typing, antibody screening, crossmatch method selection, crossmatch execution, compatibility labeling, and final issue, each step's validity resting on the step(s) performed before it.

Not a cell-morphology topic, this is a process/workflow reference.

• Specimen identity verification is the anchor step; every later result is only meaningful for the correctly identified patient
• Method selection is a decision point justified by current screen result and documented history, not a default choice
• Compatibility labeling should only follow a valid, resolved crossmatch result for that specific unit
• Final identity and visual-inspection checks occur at issue even after a compatible crossmatch

Not applicable, this is a process pathway, not a quantitative test. Institution-specific task order and documentation requirements should be verified against current SOP.

Correct sequencing of this pathway is what allows every downstream compatibility decision (method selection, crossmatch, issue) to be trusted as applying to the correct, correctly typed and screened patient.

When an error is discovered, identify the earliest step in the sequence where the error could have originated (most often specimen identity or typing) rather than assuming the error occurred at the step where it was noticed.

Not applicable, laboratory workflow reference, not a WHO disease classification.

• Treat the pathway as gated dependencies, not an unordered checklist
• A downstream step performed correctly cannot repair an upstream identity or typing error
• Verify institution-specific task order, documentation fields, and escalation criteria against current SOP