AABB Hemovigilance

Since 2006, AABB has been a leader in the establishment of the US national hemovigilance program, from its beginning as a public-private collaboration for the program design to the implementation of a system to track adverse reactions and incidents associated with blood collection and transfusion. AABB has a role in recipient hemovigilance through the AABB Center for Patient Safety, a component Patient Safety Organization (PSO) of the AABB, the only nationally listed PSO dedicated to transfusion safety. Through collecting and analyzing adverse events in the context of transfusion, trends and best practices can be identified and interventions developed to significantly improve patient care and safety.

AABB coordinates multiple vigilance programs, including the West Nile Virus, Chagas Disease, and Zika Virus Biovigilance Networks and the AABB Blood Survey - a statistically validated survey of blood collection and utilization by the AABB membership.

Proposed Revised TACO Definition

Rationale for the revision
The revision of the ISBT/IHN definition for transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) was launched in 2013 at the request of members. The draft in the link below is the final draft for validation and a two-part validation exercise is currently underway. The draft explains the rationale for the revision and contains revised reporting criteria.

The revision group recognizes that the chief priority is to adopt standard reporting criteria which will enable professionals to raise awareness of TACO and lead to improved reporting, research and reduction of transfusion complications. The revision group includes representatives from AABB, and this opens possibilities for harmonisation. In future, the criteria may need to be adjusted in the light of accumulating evidence. Click on the link below for the draft of the revised reporting criteria for TACO.

Proposed Revised TACO Definition

AABB Center for Patient Safety – Hemovigilance for Hospitals

The AABB Center for Patient Safety, listed as a component Patient Safety Organization (PSO) of the AABB in December 2008, is dedicated to analyzing data on adverse reactions and incidents associated with blood transfusion, in a confidential and protected environment. The goal of these analyses is to identify and communicate best practices and to design interventions to improve patient safety.

See the list of participating organizations.

The AABB Center for Patient Safety, a component PSO, operates independently of AABB and its accreditation programs.

Center for Patient Safety FAQs

* Patient safety organizations, or PSOs, are organizations dedicated to improving patient safety and the quality of health care delivery. The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 authorizes the creation of PSOs to improve safety and quality through the collection and analysis of data on adverse events and medical errors. By providing legal privilege and confidentiality protections, PSOs create a secure environment where health care providers can report, aggregate, and analyze patient safety data that enable the identification and reduction of risks and hazards associated with patient care.

Zika Virus Biovigilance Network – Blood Donor Infectious Disease Tracking

The Zika Virus (ZIKV) Biovigilance Network collects and reports data on blood donors with suspected ZIKV infection in the United States and Canada. Data are collected from investigational (IND) donor test results performed by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT). The data are reported to the AABB site by facilities responsible for collecting and/or testing blood donations in the United States.

For additional information, visit Zika Virus Biovigilance Network.

West Nile Virus Biovigilance Network – Blood Donor Infectious Disease Tracking

The West Nile Virus (WNV) Biovigilance Network collects and reports data on donors (of blood, tissue and hematopoietic progenitor cells) with suspected WNV infection in the United States and Canada. Data are collected from donor screening test results performed by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT). The data are reported to the AABB site by facilities responsible for collecting and/or testing virtually all blood donations in the United States and Canada.

For additional information, visit West Nile Virus Biogivilance Network.

Chagas Biovigilance Network – Blood Donor Infectious Disease Tracking

The Chagas Disease Biovigilance Network records screening and confirmatory results from the testing of donors for antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease. Current data are being provided by those laboratories that are using tests licensed by FDA to screen blood donors for the T. cruzi antibody. These laboratories account for more than 65 percent of the total blood collected in the U.S.

For additional information, visit Chagas Biovigilance.

AABB Blood Survey - Blood Donor Infectious Disease Tracking

AABB surveys its members periodically for information about blood collection, blood and blood product transfusion, and patient blood management activities in their facilities. The results of these surveys are used to assist membership in understanding the current trends in blood collection and transfusion and to support continued development of AABB policy positions and informed decision making.

For an update on current survey activity and to view the latest blood survey report, visit AABB Blood Survey.

For more information about participation, contact hemovigilance@aabb.org.

Donor Hemovigilance

The AABB Donor Hemovigilance Program tracks adverse reactions in blood donors with the goal of reducing the occurrence of adverse events associated with blood donation. Developed through collaboration among the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Armed Services Blood Program and the private sector — including AABB, America's Blood Centers, the American Red Cross, Blood Systems, Inc. and hospital blood collection centers — the program allows participating facilities to enter data into a web-based electronic data collection system, to analyze their facility’s donor data, to benchmark with aggregate donor hemovigilance data, and to identify trends.

Communitywide support is crucial to the success of the Donor Hemovigilance Program. By collaborating with AABB, blood centers across the country work together to help reduce adverse events associated with blood collection and improve overall donor safety.

For additional information, visit Donor Hemovigilance.
See the participating organizations.