AABB COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Town Hall Series

Educational Track: Technical/Clinical
Topic: Transfusion Medicine
Intended Audience: Donor Recruiter, Hospitals, Hospital Blood Banks, Lab Personnel, Medical Directors, Nurses, Physicians, Research Scientists, Residents/Fellows, Scientists, Students (MD, MT, SBB), Technologists, Transfusion Safety Officers and Coordinators
Teaching Level: Basic to Intermediate

Registration

This eCast series is provided complimentary to AABB members through the generous support of Cerus Corporation; nonmembers to pay a reduced fee of $49. Registration is required and includes access to both eCasts in the series (live and on-demand versions of each). After registering, access instructions will be automatically provided via email to sign up via GoToWebinar (please check your spam or junk email folders (title of email is “Important Next Step for AABB COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Town Hall eCast Series”). Participants will only need to sign up once (sign up covers both live eCasts in the series). If you do not receive an automated email to sign up on GoToWebinar immediately after registering, please contact the AABB eLearning team at eLearning@aabb.org. If you would like to receive this program for free as well as other great benefits consider joining AABB today.

Access instructions for the on-demand version of each eCast will be provided via email as they become available (generally 1-3 days after the live program has occurred).

Program Description

Join us as we discuss the vein-to-vein considerations of collection and administration of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). This Town Hall Series will be presented in two segments:

May 5, 2020, 2:00pm-3:15pm ET: AABB COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP) Town Hall: Donor Recruitment Considerations
Identifying CCP donors often reaches beyond the existing donor base and can benefit from coordinating with community groups to identify qualified donors. Effectively messaging to interested donors throughout this emotionally-charged process is essential to keeping them engaged.  Join medical directors from two blood collection organizations as they discuss challenges, lessons learned and other considerations when recruiting and qualifying CCP donors. Each speaker will provide a brief, 15-minute presentation followed by a 45-minute Q&A discussion where the audience can ask questions and contribute to the conversation.

Speakers: Richard Gammon, MD, Medical Director, OneBlood; Erin Goodhue Meyer, DO, MPH, Executive Medical Director of Patient Services, American Red Cross
Moderator: Sharon Carayiannis, BSMT(ASCP)HP, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, AABB

May 7, 2020, 2:00pm-3:15pm ET: AABB COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma (CCP) Town Hall: Hospital Considerations
What does a hospital need to consider when bringing CCP unit(s) on board and administering them? Join us as we explore the continuum of acquiring units through administration and follow-up. Dr. Tina Ipe will discuss the protocol being used for expanded use in Arkansas, which has become known as the “Arkansas Initiative,” and what has been learned in that state. We will also be joined by Jay Thomas, the Lab Director at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, La., who will discuss considerations from the perspective of a hospital that collects and utilizes CCP under the Mayo protocol.  Each speaker will provide a brief, 15-minute presentation followed by a 45-minute Q&A discussion where the audience can ask questions and contribute to the conversation.

Speakers: Tina Ipe, MD, MPH, Division Director of Transfusion Medicine Services, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Jay Thomas, BS MT(ASCP), Lab Director, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Moderator: Sharon Carayiannis, BSMT(ASCP)HP, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, AABB

Continuing Education Credit

AABB estimates both the live and on-demand version of each eCast in the series to be eligible for 1.25 continuing education credits/contact hours for California Nurse, California Lab Personnel, Florida Lab Personnel and General Participation credit. The final number of credit(s) and credit types awarded for this series (live or on-demand) will be determined by the program duration of each eCast in the series. Please note this program is not eligible for continuing medical education (CME) credit for physicians. For more information on each credit type please visit our Continuing Education Credits webpage.

Program planners include Sharon Carayiannis, Kelly Meyer, Jackie Thomas and Catherine Williams. The program planners do not have anything to disclose. Disclosures for the program faculty are provided at the beginning of each eCast.

Click here for more about the curriculum for the AABB Blood Banking & Transfusion Medicine 101: eCast Series.  AABB eCasts are 60-90-minute interactive, online programs that include a question and answer period. Participants need access to a computer with an active Internet connection to participate. To register for online live and on-demand programs, view AABB’s registration options and pricing here.