About
The ISBT Quality Management Working Party provides education and professional support to transfusion services worldwide in their efforts to establish, maintain and improve quality systems, in order to reach the optimal level of quality in transfusion medicine.
We set up quality indicators that can be monitored in blood establishments and hospital blood banks and are aiming for harmonization of definitions related to quality management. A data base has been implemented to assess Quality Management Systems globally. To set up minimum quality standards for Blood Services, we collaborate and share information with different organizations.
In order to facilitate contributions by its members, we have initiated subgroups (SG) for the following activities:
• SG1: Database (survey) on quality management standards and criteria
• SG2: Quality indicators for blood establishments (BE) and hospital blood banks (HBB)
• SG3: Harmonization of definitions in quality management
• SG4: Training and education
Our Chairperson is Christian Seidl.
Activities
We aim to set-up ‘best practice’ quality standards for Blood Services and collaborate and share information with different organizations worldwide and other ISBT Working Parties.
We meet at ISBT congresses and maintain a database, analyse and publish the results on a regular basis. We present our data at ISBT Academy Sessions as an educational tool for quality improvements.
As part of the educational activities, we organize ‘best practice’ Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Practice Guideline (GPG) seminars and workshops during the ISBT congresses, as well as online webinars on different quality aspects.
The main objective of the quality indicator project is to assist blood establishments with the proposal of quality indicators that can be monitored in their activities. The project on “Definitions utilized in quality management of blood establishments” aims to harmonise the definitions commonly used in blood establishments around the world.
The subgroups are coordinated by members of the working party and communicate via conference call, internet or in person. The results of each subgroup are biannually discussed with the working party board and are presented during the annual working party meetings.
Subgroups
SG1: Database (survey) on quality management standards and criteria
The survey on quality management standards and criteria used worldwide aims to collect information on the key elements in quality management including inspection standards. Participants of this survey are invited either via the working party directly or via cooperating organizations.
For further information, please contact Christian Seidl.
SG2: Quality indicators for blood establishments
The ISBT Quality Management Working Party has proposed a selected list of quality indicators to assist blood establishments worldwide in establishing or improving quality monitoring and assessment. This document is regularly revised and published on the ISBT website.
A survey on quality indicators was conducted in 2016 to assess the degree of implementation of quality indicators in blood establishments worldwide and principles of their monitoring and use.
For further information, please contact Tomislav Vuk.
SG3: Harmonization of definitions in quality management
This project was initiated with the aim of providing simple, unambiguous definitions in quality management that can be applied in a standardized way. The resulting list of definitions is not prescriptive but is meant to serve as a recommendation for establishments that choose to use them. It is the intention of our working party to periodically review the list of definitions and perform updates when required so feedback from interested parties is welcome.
For further information, please contact Lesley Bust.
SG4: Training and education
This subgroup aims to develop training and education materials and events that will benefit blood institutions worldwide. This activity is cross-linked to existing training schemes, such as the EUBIS Academy (www.eubis-europe.eu). As mentioned earlier, our working party has organized several educational activities so far. We are also looking for interested working party members who would actively participate in such activities.
For further information, please contact Christian Seidl.
