Seminars

Date: Wednesday, 19^th November 2008
Venue:  The LABY Theatre. Melbourne University. Venue Map (PDF). The Laby Theatre is located at Grid Reference E20 and the entrance at Grid Reference F20. (Between the Elisabeth Murdoch Building and the David Caro Building.)
Final seminar program and registration (PDF)

The last three decades have focused on addressing blood safety (safety of the product) with less attention given to the overall transfusion safety (safety of the entire therapy).  The result is that while the risk of transfusion-transmitted diseases has declined rapidly, the process of blood transfusion still presents many patient safety concerns which need to be tackled. These include: getting the right blood and right results to the right patient; informed decision-making to avoid unnecessary transfusion and to use blood effectively; robust audit and documentation; and, good blood stock management to prevent wastage and ensure blood is there when it is needed. 

Thus, overall transfusion safety involves an entire vein-to-vein chain of events from proper specimen collection, compatibility testing, and product issue from the blood bank, to blood administration at the patient's bedside.   This process involves high complexity with multiple interactions and the potential for error.  Overall responsibility for the transfusion process occurs at the hospital level. 

The purpose of this seminar:

• To explore the complexity of transfusion processes and the nature and range of risks
• To identify how transfusion processes can be optimised in your particular setting
• To provide you with ideas to maximise your own role in initiatives tackling transfusion risk

Who should attend?

This seminar will be of value to health service administrators, those working in government at a policy level and to quality and safety professionals who want to learn more about transfusion risk.