Challenges: A (not so) Unique Conundrum

I think each of us in our chosen industries believes the challenges we face are new and unique, until we are presented with the opportunity to join our peers in industry groups, which yields exceeding comfort to know our colleagues are often facing similar issues. The ABC Information Technology (IT) Workshop remains an industry-based meeting I make a point of never missing. This workshops never disappoints! 

I find solace in the fact that I’m not alone in the challenges that I encounter on a regular basis. However, I still catch myself believing at times that I am encountering a situation that is unique to me. For instance, when looking down in my office only to discover a survey that has landed on my desk (it is late as I’m usually bombarded the first of the year)– Semantics or Terminology. To me (uniquely, I’m sure) terms specific to the blood industry are inconsistent between blood centers, hospitals and industry-based organizations. 

For example, what do you consider a successful donation/collection event? To the call center staff, is it a successful appointment? To the donor center staff, is it the successful registration (e.g., no deferral)? To the phlebotomists is it a successful stick? To the production staff, is it the successful creation of a component? To the finance folks, is it the successful sale of a component (e.g., with no credits for returns)? To the product distribution staff, is it the successful delivery of product? To the medical director, our regulatory and quality assurance folks, is it a successful transfusion with no reactions? 

I cannot help but think, there must be a document somewhere for GABCT (generally accepted blood center terms) and I must be alone in being unable to locate its existence and whereabouts. If not, would we be asking too much to come up with such a document? 

I am happy to lead the charge, at least I like to think that. Then I see the confusion associated with the one term I used for this article and the hundreds more like it that exist. At that time, I would rather broker a healthcare deal between the republicans and democrats in Congress…okay, perhaps not. For now, the terms to me are whatever our good folks at AABB want them to be for this survey…now just to figure that out.

Steve Morales; Director, IT Services