Chicago, IL - February 11, 2011 - Healthcare-ID announced today that The Institute for Transfusion Medicine (ITxM), Pittsburgh PA, which began implementation of Donor-ID Webä software utilizing Computer Assisted Self Interview (CASI) over the Internet and the paperless feature of the software for certain collection sites in November 2010, will roll out additional locations for its LifeSource Blood Services and Central Blood Bank blood centers, based in Illinois and Pennsylvania, respectively.
Initial reaction from donors has been quite positive. "Many donors are accustomed to using the internet to pay bills, shop, contact friends, and to handle their personal banking," said ITxM's Eric Schulties, Vice President and Chief Information Officer. "Why wouldn't they want to also do their blood banking on-line?"
By accessing a link available to donors on the ITxM website, donors can answer health history questions in the privacy and comfort of their home or office, print a form, and bring that with them to the donation site. Trained blood center staff then follow-up on any responses for which additional information is needed to determine the donor's suitability. "The donor spends less time away from work or personal duties," Schulties said, "and that encourages people to donate again."
ITxM employees have also embraced the move to paperless operation. "The elimination of paper blood donor records has had a positive effect on our donors and staff, and has made our work flow more efficient. It makes sense not to create and store paper any longer," said Melanie Heuston, Vice President Clinical Education and Workforce Development. "The shift to this 'green' option is good for the environment, ensures the safety of the blood supply, and is good for the bottom line of the blood centers."
Schulties further commented, "Donor-ID Web™ is configurable to meet our needs with many important collection site features, and Healthcare-ID has a strong customer service orientation that is making this a smooth installation."
"Implementation of the Donor-ID Webä product with the paperless feature at both LifeSource and Central Blood Bank is a major milestone for Healthcare-ID," commented Bryan Sadorf, Vice President of Product Management at Healthcare-ID. "We are excited to partner with ITxM on this implementation because of the reputation the company has for leading the industry in use of cutting edge technology."
About The Institute for Transfusion Medicine (ITxM)
The Institute for Transfusion Medicine (ITxM) is one of the nation's foremost organizations specializing in transfusion medicine and related services. Its Pittsburgh-based Central Blood Bank and Chicago-based LifeSource business units annually distribute nearly one million blood products to approximately 100 healthcare facilities in four states. Central Blood Bank services 40 area hospitals in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and northern West Virginia through its collections at more than 25 community donor centers and approximately 200 mobile blood drives a month. LifeSource services approximately 60 hospitals in Illinois through its collections at more than 20 donor centers and approximately 200 mobile blood drives a month.
About Healthcare-ID
Incorporated in January 1995, Healthcare-ID develops and markets products to meet the Blood Center's need for automating the entry of accurate information at both fixed and mobile collection sites to eliminate disposal of collected blood units based on donor eligibility and suitability and significantly reduce the cost of blood collection. Healthcare-ID, with its Donor-ID Webä product offers modules including Registration, Health History Screening, CASI, CASI over the Internet, Physical Exam, Daily QC, Donor Adverse Reaction, Phlebotomy, Shipping, and Survey. Donor-ID Webä interfaces to most major blood center data management systems.
Donor-ID Webä is used to collect over 7,000,000 units of blood annually at eleven blood centers across the United States: Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston, TX; Memorial Blood Center in St Paul, MN; Mississippi Blood Services in Jackson, MS; Oklahoma Blood Institute in Oklahoma City, OK; Coffee Memorial Blood Center in Amarillo, TX; Blood Bank of Delmarva in Newark, DE; Stanford Blood Center in Palo Alto, CA, LifeStream in San Bernardino, CA, ITxM in Illinois (LifeSource Blood Center) and Pennsylvania (Central Blood Bank), and The American Red Cross, nationwide.