A fashionable shop in San Francisco prides itself as a purveyor of “Premium Essentials” with the tagline “Fewer, Better Things.” This phrase gives me pause to reflect on the nature of the premium essentials for ABC members. For this week’s “Our Space” I have whittled down recent ABC activities to highlight examples of “fewer, better things” that provide premium essentials to our blood centers.
Advocacy:Since the first session of the 15th Congress began last month…
- ABC sent welcome letters to all 535 Congressmen and women and included: a description of ABC key issues, a list of ABC member blood centers, and ABC’s contact information. I encourage every ABC member to view these materials, borrow what you wish, and write letters of introduction to your Members of Congress.Â
- ABC participated in a face-to-face meeting with Food and Drug Administration policy makers to campaign for regulatory reform on numerous issues of importance to ABC members.Â
- ABC met with representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to request that an important error in the 2017 CMS Final Rule establishing HCPCS code P9072 be corrected. P9072 has been changed to consider pathogen reduced apheresis platelets and apheresis platelets tested for rapid detection of bacterial contamination to be clinically similar products. It is our position that these two approaches to product safety should be coded and reimbursed separately.
 Data
- ABC Data Warehouse Proof of Concept will be presented for thefirst time at the ABC Member Meeting during the 55th ABC Annual meeting in Washington D.C.
 Education
- Dr. Eamonn M. Ferguson, from the University of Nottingham, will present research at the ABC Annual Meeting that is both fascinating and compelling. His presentation and research supports a stratified medicine approach linking targeted recruitment strategies to donors’ motives at different points in their lives. To register for the meeting (member or non-member), email Lori Beaston.
- The Foundation for America’s Blood Center will provide an elegant fundraising event at the top of the historic Hay-Adams Hotel. The cherry blossoms, view of the White House at twilight, classic Japanese entertainment, along with a rolling dinner and cocktails, will provide the perfect atmosphere for networking with colleagues and friends-and of course all for a good cause. Email Jodi Zand to register.
- ABC has worked hard to bring educational and relevant new courses to our members (free of charge) and to non-ABC members (for a nominal fee). Click on the links to access these excellent resources: Introduction to the Blood Banking Industry and the ABC cGMP Training Video.Â
 As we move toward a future of ABC member consolidation and change, ABC must reflect that reality. The implications that I see include upgrading ABC capabilities in delivering premium “essentials” like advocacy, SMT, data, and more enhanced educational opportunities for our members, while at the same time refocusing on fewer, better services for our members.
 Christine Zambricki, DNAP, CRNA, FAAN; Chief Executive Officer