The New Quality Management Standards

At the annual AABB Meeting in Anaheim the AABB Quality Management Subcommittee proposed a change to the current Quality System Template. The intent of this change is to provide one basic quality template for all AABB program units and to provide uniform interpretation of the standards whether for:

• Blood Bank/Transfusion Services • Perioperative • Cell Therapy • Immunohematology Reference Laboratories • Relationship Testing

The template presents requirements in a logical process flow sequence, incorporates user-friendly language and focuses on expected outcomes .The current QSEs have been reordered and the names of some have been modified. The reorder is in three building blocks The proposed changes are below:

The Facility:

Organization and Leadership Facilities, Work Environment, Safety Human Resources Customer Focus Suppliers/and Supplies Equipment Management

The Work:

Process Management Documents and Records Information Management

The Measurements:

Nonconforming Events Monitoring and Assessments Process Improvement

The intent is also to publish these New Quality Standards as a stand alone publication. The AABB is soliciting comment before submitting these standards to the AABB board for approval. The QMS will be considering all member feedback. The QMS will continue to monitor all feedback received throughout the standards-setting process. The subcommittee will make revisions as necessary and send a recommendation for a public comment period to the AABB Board of Directors for consideration at its January 2008 meeting. Your comments may be submitted to standards @aabb.org