Blood Bank of Hawaii (BBH)

Blood Bank of Hawaii is responsible for meeting the needs of the entire civilian population of the state. The geographic area serviced is approximately 6,600 square miles. The Blood Bank distributes its products after rigorous testing to all civilian hospitals in Hawaii, to be used in patient transfusions. Established in 1941, the Blood Bank of Hawaii was the third community Blood center to exist in the united states. It is a founding member of and accredited by the american association of Blood banks (aabb) which sets standards for medical-technical performance in Blood Bank and hospital laboratories. The Blood Bank of Hawaii is also a founding member of the council of community Blood centers. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Blood Bank ensures that its products are available to all Hawaii patients who need them, regardless of their economic status. In its mission of service to the state of Hawaii, Blood Bank of Hawaii acts as a consulting center for the state's medical community. Training and consulting programs include: i. University of Hawaii health careers opportunity programblood Bank of Hawaii hosts an all day seminar for students in the medical technology program of the john a. burns school of medicine. During the day, presentations are made by each of the Blood Bank's department directors which provides insight into the responsibilities of various employment opportunities at Blood Bank of Hawaii. Ii. American association of Blood banks (aabb) teleconference seriesmonthly teleconferences are held on-site at Blood Bank of Hawaii. These are linked to a telephonic network across the entire nation. This provides local healthcare personnel with a unique learning opportunity and the ability to share ideas with and question experts on the topics of the day. The teleconferences are funded partly by the fj pinkerton fund and offered to the medical community of Hawaii at no charge. Iii. Transfusion service meetingsblood Bank of Hawaii personnel, including the president/ceo, interim medical director, cfo, and technical director, meet with hospital personnel to share ideas and concerns regarding services being provided by Blood Bank of Hawaii. Discussions focus on emerging healthcare topics and day to day operational issues. These meetings provide the organization with a "customer's view" of how we are performing and opportunities for improvement. In addition, potential expansions of service are also frequent topics of discussion. Other activities of the organization to support its mission includes: i. Blood Bank of Hawaii publications on donor/recipient concernsdonor/recipient publications include "circulate" published on a quarterly basis. This newsletter provides the opportunity to thank and recognize our donors for their generous "gifts of life".annual reports are published each year and distributed to ceo's of our employer based lifesaver clubs, medical/healthcare professionals, and trustees. The report was made available to the public on the Blood Bank of Hawaii website. Ii. Other activitiesblood Bank of Hawaii participates in health fairs when requested and to provide information to the lay public on Blood safety and the donation process. "lifesaver clubs" - throughout the state, thousands of employers have joined our network of "donor clubs" called "lifesaver clubs". These clubs normally have an in-house coordinator who works with Blood Bank's field recruiters and the company's employees in sponsoring Blood drives and other related functions. Conduct outreach programs to students from kindergarten to college level, conducting in-class presentations, behind the screens laboratory and donor tours, and lectures.