The HHS is allocating almost $2 billion to support the production of treatments and medical equipment needed for a public hea -More- 

The Health IT Policy Committee has formed a task force that will focus on promoting the use of electronic directories of heal -More- 

Individuals planning to attend the 2010 AABB Annual Meeting and CTTXPO are reminded to take advantage of the Virtual CTTXPO t -More- 

Supervisor of Transfusion Services
Cooley Dickinson Hospital

The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test.  -More- 

Since lack of platelet swirl is associated with decreased platelet viability, I'm curious how many check for platelet swirl before issuing platelets? If so, how do you document this check and do you discard those which do not demonstrate swirling? We only purchase SDPL's and pre-pooled LR platelets, but some do not demonstrate swirling.

We are a Cerner Millenium system and I just heard about the Bridge product that can be used on Cerner for tranfusion related documentation. Does anyone have experience with this program; if so, how do you feel about it? Is it a good system, what problems have you seen, etc?

Blood Bankers,

My pathologist asked me to see if anyone is using or has any experience with a Belmont Rapid Infuser. Apparently our trauma surgeons approached him about acquiring the device. I have a brochure from the distributor but I cannot find a specific model number or product code or name, just "Rapid Infuser".

I'd be interested in any and all opinions -- good and bad -- about the device.

Thanks,

Randy

For those of you performing unit type confirmations on the ECHO, are you experiencing alot of probe clot detected errors?

If you are not having clot detection issues, how are you processing/preparing the samples for testing.

Thanks,

Brian Lipkin MT(ASCP)
Blood Bank Supervisor

Australian researchers say that although progress has been slow, they are seeing promising results in their efforts to develo -More- 

Available 24/7: AABB Online Training Program
AABB offers convenient access to three web-based courses. Topics include: Basic Cell Therapy, TRALI Online Course and cGMP in the Transfusion Service. To register for these courses and earn CME/CE credits, click here.

German scientists found that patients with chronic heart failure showed long-term improvement in ventricular function and sur -More- 

Malaysian researchers are preparing to launch field trials involving genetically engineered mosquitoes that are meant to figh -More- 

A company-funded study found that AstraZeneca's experimental blood thinner Brilinta doesn't require genetic testing to evalua -More- 

In this three-part Need to Know series, medical reporter Dr. Emily Senay and others look at the state of the U.S.  -More- 

Hospitals in Lincolnshire, England, will be the first in the U.K.  -More- 

Mix-ups of identical medical tubes have resulted in serious injuries and deaths in some hospitals, according to this New York -More- 

Researchers from the NIH, FDA and Harvard Medical School on Monday announced they found MLV-related viruses, which are relate -More- 

An NIH-led study that links MLV-related viruses and chronic fatigue syndrome has raised questions among researchers on the ro -More- 

U.S.  -More- 

Cord Blood America has announced that it will be rolling out a Quality Service Guarantee program that will give owners of sto -More- 

Simplify Training and Compliance with KnowledgeTrak
Now, you can flawlessly deliver, track and manage staff training and compliance using the same proprietary system already in use at some of the nation's top blood centers. Attend an upcoming Webcast to see for yourself how KnowledgeTrak simplifies training, quality, compliance and document management. Register now.

The FDA and the CDC issued a joint warning saying fingerstick and point-of-care blood-testing devices should not be reused, a -More-