Education
LifeStream supports quality learning and provides continuing education to its community partners and employees by providing the following:
American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Audioconferences.
LifeStream offers a series of audioconferences which focus on the skills and knowledge of professionals working in blood centers, hospital blood banks, transfusion services, testing laboratories and cellular therapy facilities.
AABB audioconferences afford professionals in transfusion medicine and cellular and related biological therapies the opportunity to obtain timely information from recognized experts in the field. AABB audioconferences provide individuals and facilities up-to-date information on current standards, accreditation requirements, medical and scientific advances as well as administrative and management practices.
AABB Continuing Education Credit
Continuing Medical Education Credit: AABB is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education (Provider # 0000381) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. AABB designates each audioconference for a maximum of 1.5 contact hours in Category 1 credit toward the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credit hours spent in the activity.
California Nursing Continuing Education Credit: AABB is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider Number 4341) as a provider of continuing education activities. AABB designates each audioconference for a maximum of 1.8 contact hours.
California Clinical Laboratory Personnel Continuing Education Credit: AABB is an approved accrediting agency for continuing education for California-licensed clinical laboratory personnel. Each audioconference has been approved for a maximum of 1.5 contact hours. AABB’s accrediting agency number is 0011. Credit earned through attendance at audioconferences may be used to fulfill the state requirement for continuing education hours to maintain licensure status.
Perfusionist Continuing Education Units: AABB is approved by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) as a provider of Category 1 credit to those perfusionists who attend audioconferences.
American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Teleconferences: LifeStream offers several of these teleconferences annually. ASCP teleconferences are designed to bring information and insights from world-class faculty to the entire laboratory team on wide-ranging topics that include chemistry and immunohistochemistry, cytology, management, hematology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics, phlebotomy, and surgical pathology.
ASCP Continuing Education Credit
Pathologists: ASCP meets the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) requirements established by the American Board of Pathology. Continuing medical education activities offered by ASCP, like teleconferences, are acceptable for the ABP’s MOC Program, Part II requirements for Life-Long Learning.
Technologists/Technicians: The ASCP designates Teleconferences for the indicated number of Continuing Medical Laboratory Education (CMLE) credit hours. ASCP CMLE credit hours meet the continuing education requirements for the ASCP Board of Registry Certification Maintenance Program.
The audioconferences are provided in LifeStream’s Administrative Building located at:
384 West Orange Show Rd.
San Bernardino, CA 92408
You can register for any session by contacting LifeStream at:
-
- Phone: 909.885.6503, extension 424
- Fax: 909.723.1187, Attn: Jennifer Volkmann
- Email: jvolkmann@LStream.org
For more information on our education programs, please contact
Jennifer Volkmann, 909.885.6503, extension 424, jvolkmann@LStream.org
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meetings: LifeStream provides education to partner medical facilities on the latest blood banking technology/advances and general information sessions on transfusion services to improve blood product utilization. These meetings are offered quarterly.
2009 AABB Audioconference Schedule
Trends and Concerns: The Young Blood Donor and Adverse Reactions
February 4, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094571
Director/Moderator: Dennis Harpool, SBB(ASCP), Vice President of Manufacturing Systems, Blood Systems, Inc.
Faculty: Peter Tomasulo, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Blood Systems, Inc.
Intended Audience: Physicians, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Describe the concept of stratified rates of reactions and risks of reactions by donor characteristic.
• Review the relationship of blood volume and amount of blood donated to rate and risk of reaction.
• Identify possible interventions to reduce rates of donor reactions.
Event Description: In this program, faculty will review data regarding donor reactions and classify them by donor characteristics. It will focus on the donor’s blood volume and 500 mL collections and the connections between age, gender and blood volume on donor reactions. Using the characteristics reviewed by the presenter, one organization’s eligibility requirements to reduce donor reactions will be shared.
Event Level: Intermediate
Serologic Case Studies
February 11, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094572
Director: Kristina Williams, MT(ASCP)SBB, CQIA, CQA(ASQ), Manager, ARC IRL Operational Support, American Red Cross
Faculty: Teresa Harris, MT(ASCP)SBB, CQIA, CQA(ASQ), Manager, Immunohematology Reference Laboratory, NY-Penn/NEPA, American Red Cross; Laurie Delia, MT(ASCP)SBB, Manager, Immunohematology Reference Laboratory, NY-Penn/NEPA; Yolanda Sanchez, MT(ASCP)SBB,
Consultation Supervisor, Education Coordinator and Instructor, Clinical Laboratory Science Program, Rush University Medical Center; Ann Viernes, MS, MT(ASCP)SBB, HP, Blood Bank Supervisor, Rush University Medical Center.
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Assess patient diagnosis, history, and initial unexpected serology results in order to determine which additional serologic techniques are appropriate.
• List common techniques used in the blood bank laboratory for antibody detection and identification and be aware of differences among the techniques as they relate to serologic problem-solving.
• Evaluate serologic case studies in order to understand problem-solving paths.
Event Description: In the present-day blood bank laboratory, we are surrounded by options with testing methods. Commonly used testing methods may include tube, gel, and red cell solid phase testing. Testing may be performed by manual methods or by automated methods, and a blood bank laboratory may use multiple methods when problem-solving. This case studies presentation is intended to cover the multiple methods that are in widespread use. By presenting separate cases that highlight the use of varied methods, participants will be able to evaluate and understand the potential strengths and pitfalls of each method in regards to specificity and sensitivity in addition to improving overall serologic problem-solving skills.
Event Level: Intermediate
Donor Loyalty vs. Incentive Programs
Content for this program was developed in cooperation with the Association of Donor Recruitment Professionals (ADRP).
February 25, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094573
Director/Moderator: Loyce Holmes, MSM-PM, Business Design Manager, Haemonetics
Faculty: Susan Churchill, BS, Recruitment Coordinator, Mayo Clinic Donor Center
Intended Audience: Managers/Supervisors, CEOs/CFOs
Objectives:
• Provide an overview of allowable donor incentives, recognition efforts and donor loyalty programs.
• Differentiate between three strategies and the market drivers increasing the use of donor loyalty programs.
• Assess the impact on donor frequency rates as a result of moving to donor loyalty programs.
Event Description: Blood centers strive to create a feeling of faithfulness or allegiance to the blood center’s mission of saving lives by developing strategies designed to build donor relations and encouraging them to become lifetime partners. There are several strategies available to blood centers: donor incentives, donor recognition efforts and donor loyalty programs. Is there a difference between incentives, recognition and loyalty programs? Don’t loyalty programs include incentives and recognition? What is driving the move away from incentives and recognition to more three dimensional loyalty programs, and is this switch in strategy effective? This audioconference will address the differences in these approaches to increase donor participation and present the impact of each on donor frequency rates.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Red Cell Exchange vs. Red Cell Transfusion
March 11, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094575
Director/Moderator: Patricia Jost Golden, RN, HP(ASCP)
Faculty: Haewon Kim, MD, Medical Director, Apheresis Service, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Describe the goal of red cell transfusion and erythrocytapheresis therapy.
• Compare long-term erythrocytapheresis therapy to chronic simple transfusion therapy with respect to benefits vs. risks, especially in patients with sickle cell disease.
Event Description: The function of red blood cells (RBC) is to deliver oxygen to tissue. The primary goal of RBC administration is either to prevent hypoxia or improve tissue oxygenation. When the circulating red cell mass is reduced due to blood loss, reduced RBC production or increased RBC destruction, red cells are administered as a form of red cell concentrate (packed RBC) for anemia to prevent hypoxia or as whole blood for acute bleeding to restore circulating blood volume to prevent shock. When structurally or functionally abnormal red cells are present in the circulation, removal of those abnormal red cells may be the treatment of choice followed by replacement with normal RBCs. Specific and effective transfusion therapy should be carried out in each patient after evaluating clinical indications. This audioconference will provide an overview of red cell transfusion and red cell exchange. This program highlights pros and cons of long-term erythrocytapheresis and chronic RBC transfusion in sickle cell patients.
Event Level: Intermediate
Review of Donor Testing and Confirmatory Tests
April 1, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094578
Director/Moderator: Jennifer Rhamy, MBA, MA, MT(ASCP)SBB, HP, Vice President, Laboratory Services, Indiana Blood Center
Faculty: Jack Hager, MS, MT(ASCP)SBB, Director of Testing, American Red Cross National Testing Laboratory; Gene Robertson, PhD, Vice President, Donor Testing Services, Blood Systems Laboratories
Intended Audience: Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• List the mandated and commonly performed assays for blood donor screening and the reactive rates of each.
• Describe the confirmatory test for each of the blood screening assays.
• Name the equipment used for blood donor screening.
• Outline the role of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) versus serology in detecting the presence of infectious diseases in a blood donor.
Event Description: This audioconference is designed as a review of donor testing for those who are not actively working in a laboratory performing infectious disease testing. The speakers will review the methodology and performance of the current screening and confirmatory assays and their impact on blood safety.
Event Level: Basic to Intermediate
Agents Used to Reduce Blood Utilization
May 13, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094582
Director: Lorne Holland, MD, Associate Director of Transfusion Medicine, University of Colorado
Faculty: Jerrold H. Levy, MD, FAHA, Professor and Deputy Chair for Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Director of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Emory Healthcare
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• List agents commonly used to reduce blood utilization.
• Explain the mechanisms by which these agents may reduce the need for blood transfusion.
• Discuss the benefits and risks of using these agents.
Event Description: A number of pharmacologic agents exist that may reduce, or completely eliminate, the need for transfusion. These drugs can help conserve scarce blood products and reduce the risk of adverse events associated with blood transfusion. Erythropoetin is a therapeutic option for chronically anemic patients in lieu of red cell transfusion. Antifibrinolytics may reduce blood usage, especially in extensive surgeries such as liver transplantation and cardiac bypass surgery. In the setting of trauma and massive transfusion, recombinant activated factor VII (rVIIa) has shown some success in reducing transfusion requirements. While these agents have a great potential to reduce blood utilization, they are not a panacea.
Not all patients will respond to treatment and there is some risk for adverse events with use of these agents. These options will be addressed in this program.
Event Level: Intermediate
Transfusion Safety and Positive Patient ID at the Bedside
May 20, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094583
Director: Shelvi McFadden, MT(ASCP), Technical Specialist, St. Lukes Hospital
Moderators: Shelvi McFadden, MT(ASCP), Technical Specialist, St. Lukes Hospital; Rodeina Davis, BS, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, BloodCenter of Wisconsin
Faculty: Lynne Briggs, BS, MA, Director, IT Applications, BloodCenter of Wisconsin; Frank Nizzi, MD, Medical Director of Technical Services, Carter BloodCare; Ralf Knels, MD, Vice Medical Director, Leader
Manufacturing and Qualified Person, Institute Dresden, German Red Cross Blood Donation Service East, Chair, Eurocode International Blood Labeling System e.V., Chair, RFID Task Force, ISBT-Working Party “Information Technology”
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Discuss the importance of transfusion safety.
• List and discuss mechanisms of achieving positive patient identification (ID) in transfusion service and at the bedside.
• Discuss the responsibility of transfusion service and nursing with regards to positive patient ID.
• Explore and discuss available technology for achieving positive patient ID at the bedside.
Event Description: Transfusion safety is the number one concern for clinicians and laboratory professionals when patients are transfused. Blood transfusions are given to improve a patient’s clinical conditions. Positively identifying the patient before, during and after transfusion is necessary for ensuring the right product is given to its intended recipient. This session will explore all aspects of providing a safe transfusion to a patient with the use of positive patient ID.
Event Level: Intermediate
Adverse Transfusion Reactions: Common Definitions and Reporting into the National Biovigilance System
May 27, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094604
Director/Moderator: Barbee I. Whitaker, Ph.D. Director, Data and Special Programs, AABB
Faculty: Beth Shaz, MD, Director, Grady Memorial Hospital Blood Bank, Emory University School of Medicine; Mark Fung, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Blood Bank and HLA Laboratory, Fletcher Allen Health Care, University of Vermont
Intended Audience: Physicians, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Define adverse transfusion reactions using pre-defined case definition criteria.
• Apply severity grade, and determine relationship of the reaction to transfusion.
Event Description: This audioconference will cover blood transfusion recipient adverse reactions as defined in the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Biovigilance Component Protocol. Although these definitions were developed by the AABB Hemovigilance Working Group for NHSN participants, they can be used by any transfusion service interested in using standard definitions. The program will apply adverse reaction criteria (definitions) to actual case examples. Some of the reactions that will be discussed include TRALI, TACO, Transfusion Associated Graft vs. Host Disease, hemolytic reactions, allergic reactions and infections.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Emerging Infectious Diseases: Impact on the Donor Base
June 17, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094586
Director/Moderator: Jennifer Rhamy, MBA, MA, MT(ASCP)SBB, HP, Vice President, Laboratory Services, Indiana Blood Center
Faculty: Louis M. Katz, MD, Executive Vice President, Medical Affairs, Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center; Brian Custer, PhD, Assistant Investigator, Blood Systems Research Institute
Intended Audience: Physicians, Scientists, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors, CEOs/CFOs
Objectives:
• Name the emerging infectious agents that could impact the blood supply.
• Outline the screening assays available for detection of diseases potentially transmitted by transfused blood.
• Describe the risk and benefit potential of testing versus questioning versus no action for emerging diseases, including the impact of the actual disease on public health.
Event Description: What diseases represent an emerging threat to the blood supply? This audioconference will review several potential threats including babesiosis, dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya. The speakers will review current and future options for screening diseases and the impact of potential loss of donors. Session faculty and participants also will look at the benefits, the public health impact and the costs associated with these diseases.
Event Level: Intermediate
Assessing the Quality and Effect of Transfused Red Blood Cells
June 24, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094587
Director: Lorne Holland, MD, Associate Director of Transfusion Medicine, University of Colorado
Faculty: Jose A. Cancelas, MD, PhD, Director of Research Division, Hoxworth Blood Center, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors, Students/Fellows
Objectives:
• List commonly used preservative solutions and discuss the significant differences between them.
• Examine current methods to determine the quality of preserved red blood cells.
• Describe potentially better methods for determining the quality of preserved red blood cells.
Event Description: A great deal of effort has been put into perfecting preservation of red blood cells for transfusion. A simple solution of citrate, phosphate and dextrose (CPD) can be used to preserve red cells, but inclusion of additives (adenine, mannitol, etc.) will further extend the shelf life of red blood cells. Currently, the effectiveness of a red cell preservative is determined by the amount of in vitro hemolysis prior to transfusion and then in vivo recovery the red cells after transfusion. However, simply assessing the survival of red cells does not provide information about the effectiveness of transfused red cells to function (i.e., deliver oxygen to tissues). This program will review the functional ability of transfused red cells that can be determined by a number of measures such as diphosphoglycerate (DPG), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nitrous oxide (NO) content. In addition, it will address future guidelines defining the acceptability criteria for preservative solutions that may include both measures of red cell survival and functional quality.
Event Level: Intermediate
Serological Cases: Ask the Experts
August 19, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094592
Director/Moderator: Denise M. Harmening, PhD, MT(ASCP), CLS(NCA), Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Faculty: Susan Johnson, MSTM, MT(ASCP)SBB, Director, BloodCenter of Wisconsin; LeeAnn Prihoda, MEd, MT(ASCP)SBB, Manager, Reference Laboratory, American Red Cross - Southern Region
Intended Audience: Physicians, Scientists, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Compare similarities and characteristics of solving multiple antibody problems.
• Describe the multiple antibody approach to ABO testing for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients and the selection of the appropriate ABO blood products.
• Evaluate serological test results and propose further testing needed to resolve serological problems.
• Relate accurate patient history to evaluation of serological test results.
Event Description: Case studies will be presented to stimulate a question and answer program regarding challenging serological scenarios. Through an interactive process, this program will address the similarities and characteristics of common serological testing problems encountered in the blood bank laboratory. Audience members are encouraged to share their strategies and suggestions for solving serological testing complications presented through a case history format.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
To “D” or Not to “D:” Controversy Continues
September 2, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program #094593
Director/Moderator: Janet L. Vincent, MS, SBB(ASCP), Education Coordinator, University of Texas Medical Branch
Faculty: Beth Hartwell, MD, Medical Director, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center; Jayanna Slayten, MS, MT(ASCP)SBB, IRL Manager, SBB Program Education Coordinator, Indiana Blood Center
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Describe the unique challenges of typing for the D antigen in patients and donors.
• Outline the procedures used in D typing in different settings.
• Relate the controversies from the view of the physician, donor/patient and transfusion service.
Event Description: After reviewing the challenges of the D antigen for the donor and patient, the speakers will present the ways some facilities handle these situations. Problems for the physician, donor, patient, and hospital transfusion service will be discussed, and suggested solutions will be described.
Event Level: Intermediate
Transfusing the Chronic Patient Population
September 9, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094594
Director/Moderator: Jay H. Herman, MD, Director, Transfusion Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Faculty: Samir Ballas, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Director, Sickle Cell Center, Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Deborah Sesok-Pizzini, MD, MBA, Medical Director, Blood Bank, University of Pennsylvania; Sandra Nance, MS, MT(ASCP)SBB, Sr. Director, IRL, BioMedical Services, American Red Cross Blood Services
Intended Audience: Physicians, Scientists, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Identify the indications for chronic transfusion therapy.
• Distinguish chronic transfusion objectives for different patient populations.
• Determine the special needs of the chronically transfused patient.
• Describe the differences in chronic transfusion for children and adults.
• Discuss the role that alloimmunization has on sickle cell severity.
Event Description: Chronic red cell transfusion plays an important role in the therapy of specific patient populations; those with insufficient erythropoiesis, stem cell disorders or thalassemic conditions and those with chronic hemolysis from hemoglobinopathies. Indications for chronic transfusion in these diverse populations are well defined for both children and adults, and will be reviewed in this audioconference. Chronic transfusion programs require many considerations not usually a part of acute transfusion practice:
transfusion hemosiderosis, the long-term effects of red cell alloimmunization, consideration of “phenotype matching” and management of rare inventories, and the risk benefit of erythrocyte apheresis, to mention a few. The speakers will address these issues, along with the objectives of chronic transfusion in sickle cell disorders which differ from those for other patients. The role that alloimmunization to red cell antigens has in autoantibody formation and the increased hemolysis in sickle cell disease also will be addressed.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Evaluation and Validation Using Six Sigma
September 16, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094595
Director/Moderator: Dennis Harpool, SBB(ASCP), Vice President, Manufacturing Systems, Blood
Systems, Inc.
Faculty: Terri Poulin, MT(ASCP)SBB, Technical Director, United Blood Services; Bobbi Jewett-
Keefe, MT(ASCP), Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean Certification, Customer Operations Consultant,
Whole Blood Group, CaridianBCT
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors, CEOs/CFOs
Objectives:
• Describe an enhanced validation process to evaluate a new automated component manufacturing device that uses Six Sigma methods.
• Compare conventional component manufacturing activities conducted at Blood Systems and the impact of a new device.
• Assess the integration of Six Sigma methods and the resultant outcomes.
Event Description: The method of validating a new process or instrument has been in place at Blood Systems for many years. Six Sigma methods were identified as an attractive means to assess new technologies while enhancing the interpretation of the results. This event addresses the approach Blood Systems has used to include Six Sigma tools and techniques in the design and implementation of validation activities. The method will be described along with an example validation case study.
Event Level: Intermediate
Legal Issues in Blood Banking: Real Case Studies
September 23, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094596
Director/Moderator: Susan Connor, MBGM, MT(ASCP)SBB, Director of Physician Relations,
John C. Lincoln Hospitals
Faculty: Ed Mansfield, JD, Belin Lamson McCormick Zumbach Flynn, PC, General Counsel, America’s Blood Centers; Diane Killion, JD, Staff Counsel, AABB
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors, CEOs/CFOs, Perfusionists
Objectives:
• Define the meaning of “negligence” in the blood center and transfusion litigation context.
• Review the status and impact of health care liability reform legislation.
• Discuss hot issues surrounding privacy and confidentiality.
• Determine legal issues relating to donor and patient informed consent.
Event Description: Blood centers and transfusion services operate in an environment where it is increasingly difficult to both strike a balance between the safety of donors and patients and manage the legal risks associated with operating those facilitates. Consequently, it is important for professionals to keep up with the latest legal developments. This audioconference will cover current legal issues relating to blood donations and transfusion.
Event Level: Intermediate
Twenty-First Century Donor Recruitment Tools
September 30, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094597
Director/Moderator: Loyce Holmes, MSM-PM, Business Design Manager, Haemonetics
Faculty: Maria Elena Geyer, MBA, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Community Relations,
Puget Sound Blood Center; Shankar Goudar, MBA, Chief Information Officer, Carter Blood Care
Intended Audience: Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Provide an overview of social networks and mass communication vehicles used for donor recruitment.
• Increase awareness of the pros and cons of 21st century recruitment technology.
• Review lessons learned and the impact of the use of technology in recruitment efforts.
Event Description: Social networks such as MySpace and FaceBook, along with mass communication tools like text messaging and podcasts are becoming mainstream arsenal for many blood centers to increase donors. For many not-for-profit organizations, finding low-cost channels to communicate to large volumes of people with a positive return on investment is a challenge. Tapping into social networks and mass communication tools appears to be an attractive alternative to this dilemma. This audioconference will demonstrate how two blood centers ventured into these unchartered territories early in their market entry and describe their experiences.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Lessons Learned from the Battlefield: Use of Whole Blood and Blood Components
October 7, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094598
Director/Moderator: Jerry Holmberg, PhD, MT(ASCP)SBB, Senior Advisor for Blood Safety and Executive Secretary for the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability
Faculty: Commander Charles C.M. Lelkens, MD, Commanding Officer and Medical Director, Military Blood Bank, The Netherlands; Jeremy Perkins, MD, FACP, Chief, Hematology-Oncology Clinic, Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Intended Audience: Physicians, Scientists, Technologists, Nurses, Perfusionists
Objectives:
• Describe various limitations and barriers in the battlefield that may be similar to everyday practice in any community.
• Discuss massive transfusions in combat casualties including transfusion rates and mechanisms of injury.
• Recall the various component therapies that are often used in massive battlefield trauma cases and how strategies change based on clinical condition as well as available component therapy.
• Compare the indication, advantages, disadvantages and outcomes of various strategies to control bleeding and oxygen delivery in the battlefield trauma cases.
• Discuss outcomes in massive transfusion relating various ratios of components given such as FFP:RBC ratios and platelet:RBC ratios.
Event Description: Throughout history, the experiences and challenges of treating the wounded on the battlefield have been a stimulus for advances in medicine. The field of transfusion medicine and component therapy has been the recipient of much experience, much based on necessity in the battlefield. Data driven indications for use of fresh whole blood (FWB) in trauma are unknown. Currently there are no randomized trials comparing whole blood to component therapy in the setting of trauma. FWB use is limited in the U.S., although the military routinely utilizes FWB in the setting of massive transfusion as both a source of platelets and other factors when large quantities of blood are required. Drawing from battlefield experience, the speakers of this audioconference will discuss challenges and strategies used in the battlefield. Discussion will include the use of component therapy, whole blood, and frozen blood in controlling hemostasis and maintaining oxygen delivery to the tissues in the wounded military and civilian patients.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Health Screening: New Approaches to Donor Wellness
November 4, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094600
Director/Moderator: Dennis Harpool, SBB(ASCP), Vice President, Manufacturing Systems, Blood Systems, Inc.
Faculty: Stephen Eason, MBA, CFRE, Director of Development, Carter Blood Care; Merlyn Sayers, MD, PhD, President and CEO, Carter BloodCare
Intended Audience: Physicians, Nurses, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Identify the unique opportunity volunteer blood donation presents for health screening that is unrelated to reducing transfusion risk.
• Review the evidence that donor health screening provides concerning the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• Determine how this information can provide valuable epidemiological information when analyzed by age, gender and ethnicity.
Event Description: More than 40,000 volunteer blood-donating Americans who regard themselves as healthy donate every day. If donation screening is supplemented with, for example, assays for total cholesterol and hemoglobin, then these individuals could gain valuable insights into health risks that might not otherwise have gained their attention. This session will demonstrate how providing this important information to donors can be a service to donors.
Event Level: Intermediate
RBC Genotyping–Molecular Testing
November 18, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094601
Director/Moderator: Jennifer Rhamy, MBA, MA, MT(ASCP)SBB, Vice President, Laboratory Services, Indiana Blood Center
Faculty: Connie Westoff, MT(ASCP)SBB, PhD, Scientific Director, Molecular Blood Group and Platelet Antigen Testing, American Red Cross
Intended Audience: Physicians, Scientists, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors
Objectives:
• Discuss the physiologic functions of the proteins that carry blood group antigens in the red cells and other tissues.
• Cite the incidence of the antigen in the population, describing ethnic relationships.
• Describe how new protein modeling tools contribute to understanding structural changes to blood group antigens and impact production of antibodies.
Event Description: The evolution of molecular typing has given the industry new perspectives on the incidence and distribution of the individual antigens within the blood group systems. This program will describe the structure and function of molecules that carry red cell antigens and share what is being uncovered relative to the incidence of variants in different populations. The impact of mutations on the structure of known blood group antigens and implications for the practice of transfusion medicine will be discussed.
Event Level: Intermediate to Advanced
CLIA Blood Banking Personnel Requirements
December 16, 2009
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (ET) 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm (GMT)
Program # 094603
Director/Moderator: Susan Connor, MBGM, MT(ASCP)SBB, Director of Physician Relations, John C. Lincoln Hospitals
Faculty: Penny Meyers, MA, MT(ASCP)SBB, Medical Technologist, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Intended Audience: Physicians, Technologists, Managers/Supervisors, Quality Personnel
Objectives:
• Provide a brief overview of the CLIA regulating agency, its purpose and its intent.
• Discuss the applicability of the CLIA regulations to blood centers and transfusion services.
• Review the “deemed status” CLIA grants to six accreditation organizations and how to use this to maintain compliance.
• Review current hot topics and the CLIA regulations that apply.
Event Description: The blood bank industry is regulated by many agencies, which can make it challenging to understand the regulations as well as which agency, specifically, regulates the operations of the blood center and transfusion service. In this session, the CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) regulations that impact the blood industry will be reviewed. Discussion will include the testing regulated by CLIA and the personnel requirements to perform these tests in the blood center or transfusion service. Current hot topics and the regulations will also be addressed.
Event Level: Intermediate
2009 ASCP Teleconference Schedule
Molecular Pathology Basics for the Practicing Pathologist
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Board Room
Jennifer L. Hunt, MD, FASCP
Head Section, Surgical Pathology, Director, Head & Neck/Endocrine Pathology, Director, AP Molecular Diagnostics Unit, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Associate Professor of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
• Determine which fixatives are acceptable for molecular testing
• Describe the basic techniques for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
• Analyze several types of processes for PCCR product detection
• Discuss the technique of microdissection
Learn technologies critical to molecular diagnostics. Gain a foundation in the principles of molecular pathology with this back-to-basics review of specimen preparation, fixatives, polymerase chain reaction and gene sequencing.
Target audiences: practicing pathologists, residents, laboratory managers, bench supervisors, bench technologists & technicians, cytotechnologists, histotechnologists, students
Flow Cytometry - A Fundamental Glimpse into a Complex Process
Two-part teleconference
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 (Main Conference Room)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 (Board Room)
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Amy McGranahan, MT(ASCP)SH
Senior Medical Technologist, The Children’s Hospital, Denver, CO
• Describe the operating principles of flow cytometry and quality assurance methods
• Explain light scatter properties of cells, gating strategies and data analysis
• Discuss specimen requirements and the immunology and diagnostic antibody selection used for cell staining
• Explain lymphocyte subset analysis, leukemia immunophenotyping and cell cycle analysis
This 2-session course includes an introduction to the general principles of flow cytometry with case studies that demonstrate clinical applications. Get a basic look at the technology and diagnostic evaluation of clinical specimens. Attendees should have a working knowledge of hematopoietic blood cells and their forward and side scatter characteristics.
Target audience: practicing pathologists, residents, pathologist assistants, laboratory managers, bench supervisors, bench technologists & technicians, students
Hospital Point of Care Testing - Issues and Solutions
Thursday, May 7, 2009
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Board Room
Pennell C. Painter, MS, PhD, DLM(ASCP)
Director of Laboratory Operations, LabCorp Knoxville/University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, TN
Professor Emeritus of Pathology, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, TN
• Describe issues related to point-of-care testing (POCT) in hospitals
• Identify which POC tests pose special quality-related and regulatory-related risks to the facility
• Recognize how to mitigate risks by putting in sustainable solutions to assure testing reliability and regulatory compliance
Testing quality, reliability and regulatory compliance issues impact point-of-care testing in special ways relating to the expanded testing personnel. Laboratory processes to maintain high-level performance are discussed.
Target audience: pathologists, residents, doctoral scientists, pathologist assistants, laboratory managers, bench supervisors, bench technologists & technicians, phlebotomists, students
Uncommon Antibodies for the Unsuspecting Technologist
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Main Conference Room
Sue Johnson, MSTM, MT(ASCP)SBB
Director, Clinical Education and Immunohematology, Blood Center of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Director, Transfusion Medicine Program, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
• List the prevalence of blood group antigens in the Colton, Dombrock, Diego, Cartwright, and Wright blood group systems and Vel series
• Describe the antibody characteristics to these uncommon blood group antigens, including the approach to identification and significance in transfusion
• Discuss the process for providing blood to patients with antibodies to Colton, Dombrock, Diego, Cartwright, and Wright blood group antigens, as well as the Vel antigen
Antibodies to the Colton, Dombrock, Diego, Cartwright, and Wright blood group systems and the Vel antigen are uncommon and challenging to identify. Learn their antibody characteristics, and review successful identification and transfusion strategies for patients with uncommon antibodies.
Target audience: pathologists, residents, laboratory managers, bench supervisors, bench technologists & technicians