The Department of Transfusion Medicine at Zhejiang University Children’s Hospital serves as a critical unit ensuring the scientific, rational, safe, and effective clinical use of blood products. It holds several key appointments, including Vice Chair of the Clinical Transfusion Medicine Branch of Zhejiang Medical Association, Standing Council Member of Zhejiang Provincial Blood Transfusion Society, and Committee Member of the Transfusion Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association.

The department traces its origins to the Blood Bank Unit established within the Department of Laboratory Medicine in 1979. In 1992, to meet the growing demands of the hospital, the Blood Bank became an independent department with five staff members and established its own night shift system, forming the early structure of the present department. The dedication of early professionals in transfusion and laboratory medicine laid a solid foundation for its subsequent development.

Since the inauguration of the Binjiang Campus in 2014, the Department of Transfusion Medicine has been operating across both the Binjiang and Hubin Campuses. With the launch of the Moganshan Campus in October 2024, the department now maintains operations in all three campuses. Currently, the department employs 24 full-time staff and has implemented a unified, independent scheduling system across the three sites. The Blood Transfusion Department mainly provides services such as pediatric blood transfusion tests and blood gas tests: including ABO and RhD blood type tests, determination of antibody titers for anti-A and anti-B, Rh phenotype (C, c, E, e) tests and precise blood transfusion, screening for unexpected antibodies in red blood cells, cross-matching, examination of neonatal hemolytic disease, diagnosis of difficult blood types through serological tests, analysis of blood gas and electrolytes, and multidisciplinary blood transfusion consultations.In recent years, the annual clinical usage of red blood cells has reached approximately 11,000 units.

The department emphasizes standardized quality and safety management, achieving ISO15189 accreditation for transfusion laboratory services in 2016. It has consistently earned excellent results in external quality assessments organized by the National and Zhejiang Provincial Centers for Clinical Laboratory. The department actively engages with clinical units, promotes voluntary blood donation, and advocates for scientific and rational blood use. It also provides training for laboratory professionals at various levels and accepts trainees from other hospitals. In 2019, it was designated as one of the first 14 standardized training bases for transfusion medicine practitioners in Zhejiang, contributing to the advancement of transfusion medicine in the province.

In addition to clinical services, the department is actively engaged in research, with a focus on pediatric transfusion medicine. Research areas include perioperative blood management in pediatrics, blood management for severe trauma and emergency care, neonatal and preterm infant blood management, hematological disorder management in children, adverse transfusion reactions, transfusion-related infections, and complex serological issues in pediatrics.

The department is committed to developing transfusion services with distinct pediatric characteristics, particularly in laboratory diagnostics for hemolytic disease of the newborn and complex serological cases, as well as patient blood management tailored to pediatric needs. It has gained recognition within and beyond Zhejiang Province.