Hospital blood bank:

·       Usually part of a hospital.

·       Focuses on supplying blood to that hospital’s own patients.

·       May collect blood on site or receive it from a regional center.

·       Works directly with hospital wards and surgeons.

Stand‑alone/regional blood center:

·       Serves multiple hospitals in a city or region.

·       Focuses on large‑scale collection, testing, and processing.

·       May not issue blood directly to patients but to linked hospitals.

·       Often has more specialized equipment and may support advanced services.

From a donor perspective, both are important; from a patient’s perspective, the connection between hospital and licensed blood bank is what ensures safe transfusion.