Once you are active on the kidney transplant waiting list, you know that you must send in monthly blood samples. Why are monthly blood samples so important though?
Monthly samples are critical for a couple of reasons: They are used to monitor the antibody levels in the blood, and they are the final test for compatibility used to match listed patients with deceased donor kidneys. If a monthly sample is not available, it’s possible to miss an opportunity to be cross-matched for a kidney.
To better serve patients and improve the cross-matching process, the Penn Kidney Transplant Program has started a new shipping/packaging system for monthly current blood samples that is replacing U.S. Postal Service packaging and delivery service with United Parcel Service (UPS). At this time, all patients should discard the U.S. Postal mailing kits they have and start using the new United Parcel Service (UPS) kits, which you should have recently received in the mail.
How the UPS process works
Every three months, a box with three screening kits will be sent to the home of Penn Kidney Transplant patients via UPS. Patients will not have to sign for the UPS package.
The monthly screening kit has instructions printed on the inner cover of the kit that explain when to have blood drawn and the shipping process.
The kit contains:
- A lab order for the patient’s blood sample
- Three barcoded labels (spare labels in case of labeling problem). Patients were encouraged to remember that the date and dialysis unit staff initials must be written on the label and placed on tube.
- One red top tube inside protective styrofoam packing.
- Clear plastic bag to place styrofoam package in for shipping
- Pre-paid UPS shipping label with a grey UPS shipping bag to return kit.
Directions for UPS pick up are included on the inner cover of the box. The specimen can also be placed in any UPS brown pick up bin.
Always make sure the red-top tube has the enclosed label on it, with the dialysis unit staff’s initials, date and time blood drawn. The Penn immunology lab cannot accept a blood sample that is in a mislabeled tube or a tube without the initials or date. If the sample isn't correctly labeled, a new specimen will need to be sent.
We hope the new UPS service will make everything a little easier for you and allow you to take a more active role in your healthcare as you prepare for transplant. If you have questions or concerns about the monthly sample process, please contact your pre-transplant coordinator at 215-662-6200 – or email him or her directly through the Penn online patient portal, myPennMedicine.