News & Notes

Malaria Travel Investigation Program

Managing donor deferrals for travel outside of the United States has always been a challenge for the blood banking industry. Specifically, travel to malarial areas. Bonfils Blood Center has developed a program to assist blood donor programs in determining donor suitability based on travel to a malarial area. Since the implementation of this system in May 2005, Bonfils has experienced a 98 percent decrease in Biological Product Deviation Reportings (BPDRs) and screening errors as well as a 75 percent decrease in donor technician training time.

Features

• Color coded electronic maps
• Drill down by country and city
• Color coded travel investigation list

Benefits

• Decreased training time
• Electronic maps can be loaded onto server or stand alone laptop computers
• Electronic maps and travel investigation list updated regularly
• Minimize screening errors

For more details on our Malaria Travel Investigation program call 303.363.3994 or 800.365.0006 ext. 3994 or email jonathan_bautista@bonfils.org.

Bonfils to Institute Leukoreduction of All Red Cell Products

Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, 100 percent of the red cell products produced by Bonfils will be pre-storage leukocyte reduced (leukoreduced) products. Leukocyte reduction is just one of the many safety steps performed during manufacturing. One reason for leukocyte reduction is to reduce the transmission of cell-associated viruses, such as cytomegalovirus. Additional benefits of leukoreduction include decreases in transfusion reactions, HLA alloimmunization, infections, fever episodes and antibiotic use.

An article supporting this change was mailed on Nov. 30 along with the 2008 fee schedule. Please contact Bonfils’ Client Development department at 303.363.3994 or 800.365.0006 ext. 3994 if you did not receive a notice or have questions.

Bonfils Adds New Bus to Mobile Fleet

Thanks to financial contributions of Bonfils Blood Center’s supporters, along with generous grant support from the Adolph Coors Foundation, Bertha J. Davidson Estate and the Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation, Bonfils is adding a much-needed bloodmobile to our fleet this fall.

Mobile blood drives account for more than half of the blood collected by Bonfils and are paramount to maintaining an adequate blood supply and to making blood donation convenient for our community. This new bloodmobile will allow us to reach more donors at more blood drives at more locations throughout the state.

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