Red Cross Transfers Blood Testing to L.A.

In an effort to cut costs, the Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross has consolidated its blood testing operations, transferring nine employees to the Los Angeles chapter.

The move should not affect quality or delivery of the 300,000 pints of blood distributed annually to 40 hospitals in Orange County, said Arell Shapiro, regional medical director of the Red Cross blood services program.

Collections will continue to be processed and blood components produced in the Orange County laboratory, she said. “Little will change except where the actual test tubes go,” Shapiro said.

At least one blood bank director worried that emergency testing would not be available during off hours. “They will be providing the service but it will be inconvenienced by long distance and delays,” said Jose Ocariz of the UCI Medical Center blood bank.