Spring 2023: The 18th Annual Transfusion Medicine Education Symposium

Amanda Nowry, Canadian Blood Services
Specialist – Hospital Liaison, Medical Laboratory & Stem Cell Services

Join us for the 18th Annual Transfusion Medicine Education Symposium, where we’ll delve into the critical role of blood products beyond red blood cells. Titled “Bloody Well Prepared: Optimizing the Safety of Transfusion for Hemostasis,” the symposium will be presented as a half-day webinar on Thursday, April 27th, 2023.

Hosted by Canadian Blood Services and the Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network (ORBCoN), the symposium is designed to enhance the transfusion skills of healthcare professionals working in community hospitals, with a focus on improving patient outcomes. We invite physicians, nurses, technologists, residents, trainees and students involved in the ordering, issuing or transfusing of blood and blood products to attend.

“While a lot of attention in transfusion medicine is rightly paid to red blood cells (typing, antibody screening, crossmatching), for this year’s symposium we wanted to spotlight the ‘supporting cast’ of blood products: fibrinogen replacement, platelet concentrates, and plasma. These products play an important role in effectively managing bleeding (or preventing it from developing in the first place). Experts will discuss modern use of these products and provide updates about an evolution underway at Canadian Blood Services. Our goal is to improve familiarity with the clinical use of these products and what efforts are being made to improve their safety” says Dr. Johnathan Mack, Canadian Blood Services Medical Officer and co-chair of the symposium organizing committee.

The symposium will feature presentations from Dr. Michelle Zeller of McMaster University on pathogen-reduced platelets, Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak of St. Michael’s Hospital on underutilized fibrinogen replacement, and Dr. Kathryn Webert of Canadian Blood Services on Solvent Detergent (S/D) plasma.

Registration for this virtual event is free and available through ORBCoN’s Upcoming Events Calendar. The symposium is accredited for Continuing Medical Education (CME) by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Nowry at amanda.nowry@blood.ca or Tracy Cameron at tcameron@ohri.ca

Featured Resource

New! Patient Pamphlet Video

We are thrilled to announce the release of our new video, which complements our “Blood Transfusion: Information for Patients” document. Our goal with these resources is to provide patients with basic information about transfusions of blood components and products.This document accompanied by a discussion with their healthcare provider, can help patients make an informed decision regarding their treatment options. The video and document are available in both English and French on our website.
We encourage you to take a look and share your feedback with us!

Watch

Newsboard

Implementation Survey

In 2018, ORBCoN asked that all Ontario hospitals with a transfusion service complete a survey to assess practice and policies when managing a massive hemorrhage situation. We invite you to review the results published in Injury here.

In the coming weeks, we will again be asking Ontario hospitals to complete a repeat survey to assess the implementation status of Ontario’s recommendations for Massive Hemorrhage Protocol (MHP), identify any barriers to implementation, determine possible gaps and assess any improvement in practice.

In 2018 we had 100% response rate to the baseline survey! Let’s keep the momentum going Ontario, great work is being done with your help to ensure massively hemorrhaging patients receive timely and standardized care to achieve the best possible outcomes. We ask for your cooperation in the completion of this second survey.

ORBCoN is holding a Fall symposium in Toronto and results of this provincial survey will be presented at this forum.