Alloantibody Exchange

A 501(c)(3) Public Charity

OUR MISSION

To enable blood banks to electronically share the transfusion history of their patients.

Early adopters will receive recognition as innovators from the ASCP and AABB.

BENFITS OF ENROLLMENT

Would you like a search for your patient’s transfusion history to be this easy?


Setup is simple. No manual data entry. No cost for early adopters.

Learn more

SUPPORTED BY BLOOD BANK CLINICIANS

A winner of the USA's Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) Secretary's Challenge on Equity.

For refer a colleague, colleague's email is required.

Submision pending...
Submision received.
Submision failed. Is this a valid email?


SUPPORTED BY RESEARCH

Positive impact of online inter-hospital consultation of transfusion history on incidence of red cell ABO mistransfusions, acute and delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions

"Rate of ABO incompatibility decreased 4.6-fold, that of AHTR decreased 2-fold and that of DHTR decreased 2.5-fold pre vs post consultation of OLPTH (OnLine the Past Transfusion History, a Quebec-based transfusion history exchange)."
Pierre Robillard, et al.

View details »

Enhanced detection of blood bank sample collection errors with a centralized patient database

"Access to a centralized patient database detected 38 percent more ABO typing errors and prevented six mistransfusions, which would not have been prevented at a single institution. Centralization of patient transfusion data should be encouraged."
Duncan MacIvor, et al.

View details »

Regional registry of patient alloantibodies: first-year experience

"The regional alloantibody registry prevented potential delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions"
Vicki Schwickerath, et al.

View details »

The Canadian transfusion surveillance system: what is it and how can the data be used?

"Since the implementation of this system there has been a significant drop in the frequency of ABO incompatible transfusions, acute hemolytic transfusion reactions and delayed transfusion reactions; hence, safety of the blood system in Québec has been enhanced."
Julie Ditomasso, et al.

View details »

The immunohematologic and patient safety benefits of a centralized transfusion database

"The database provides evidence that sharing transfusion information, within regulatory requirements, tangibly improves patient care."
Meghan Delaney, et al.

View details »

A centralized recipient database enhances the serologic safety of RBC transfusions for patients with sickle cell disease

“A centralized database can help prevent issuing incompatible RBC units”
Sarah K. Harm, et al.

View details »

Record fragmentation due to transfusion at multiple health care facilities: a risk factor for delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions

"Almost two-thirds of records for patients tested at both hospitals had some form of discrepancy, most commonly the failure of one of the facilities to detect an antibody. Such discrepancies are serious since they constitute risk factors for incompatible transfusions and DHTRs (delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions)."
Nisha Unni, et al.

View details »

High Percentage of Evanescent Red Cell Antibodies in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease Highlights Need for a National Antibody Database

“A national or regional alloantibody database should be a priority.”
Lance Williams, et al.

View details »

A national Transfusion Register of Irregular Antibodies and Cross (X)-match Problems: TRIX, a 10-year analysis

"Databases for sharing transfusion information between hospitals for enhanced detection of blood type errors and prevention of adverse events are scarce but have a proven positive effect on the prevention of acute and delayed hemolytic transfusions."
Adriaan J. van Gammeren, et al.

View details »

TRIX with treats: the considerable safety benefits of a transfusion medicine registry

"A national transfusion medicine registry could prevent DHTRs by sharing alloantibody records between blood banks."
Ronald 'George' Hauser, et al.

View details »

Would a National Antibody Register contribute to improving patient outcomes?

"When taken together, the included studies have highlighted and investigated flaws in transfusion services provided around the world, many of which have the potential to be significantly reduced through the introduction of a National registry."
Zachary Powell, et al.

View details »

A case for a national registry of red blood cell antibodies

"This case is an example of how a registry of RBC antibodies is critical to providing good patient care."
Gagan Mathur, et al.

View details »

Unmasking delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions in patients with sickle-cell disease: Challenges and opportunities for improvement

"We call upon policymakers to consider creating a nationwide database of all SCD patients, regardless of where they have received care. This database should include information on patient blood group genotypes, phenotypes, antibodies, and transfusion histories"
Mischa Covington, et al.

View details »



LETTERS OF SUPPORT

First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide First slide

Available upon request.



Hundreds of additional supporters have signed a petition at Change.org.

NEXT STEPS FOR CLINICIANS

"We owe it to our patients to provide them a safe blood supply."

John Granton, Change.org.

  1. Add your support to the interactive map.

    By completing the form next to the map, it shows you support the Alloantibody Exchange. We can connect you with more supporters in your area with whom you may share patient data with electronically.

  2. Implementation begins with a request for more information through this form.
    1. We will meet with you to answer questions.
    2. If you want to proceed, we will work toward implementation with you, including providing you with materials to help inform other members of your health system of the Alloantibody Exchange's clinical benefits.
  3. Provide a donation.

    As a non-profit, donation are critical to our success. The donation link is on the top of the page.



SET UP FOR NON-CLINICIANS

Curious about the setup effort? The process is straightforward.

  1. Sign a service agreement

    It really is free. We are paying for this with grants from Microsoft and Google.

  2. Sign a business associate agreement (BAA)

    This is a standard form required in the USA by HIPAA. Many hospitals have their own form, but the content is surprisingly similar.

  3. Move the data
    • We work with all blood bank information systems (BBIS) to connect your blood bank to the Alloantibody Exchange.
    • No on-going manual data entry is required.
    • Participation can be as simple as requesting a remote update to your BBIS through the Alloantibody Exchange.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Sounds great so far, but do you but still have a few questions?

Patient data privacy is primary concern for us as well. It is helpful to remember the scope of this project only includes information relative to providing appropriately matched blood products. Patients with special transfusion requirements generally make up 1% of a health system’s patient population, and the information collected from this 1% includes only alloantibody, antigen, and special transfusion requirements. We do not collection information on a patient simply because they had a type and screen. We do not collect diagnoses, medications, or billing information. Our focus is very narrow.


We have read and annotated the HIPAA regulations line-by-line to ensure we comply fully. Read our documentation here. Sharing patient information is allowed under HIPAA. It does not require informed consent for the treatment of patients. See HIPAA 165.506(c)(2) on page 84, “A covered entity may disclose PHI for treatment activities of a healthcare provider”.


We employ automated procedures developed by a review of health information exchanges to identify patients across systems. We use six patient identifiers: first name, last name, date of birth, birth sex, ABO, and Rh. Although imperfect without a unique national medical identifier, health information exchanges do function successfully in many states. For each patient’s transfusion requirements, we do provide the origin of the information, allowing further dialogue as needed.


Setup depends on the blood bank information system. Clients from participating vendors can participate after a remote update. Others may need to setup a simple program we provide to move the data. We will provide vendor specific instructions, including a video walkthrough, as outlined here for Cerner clients.


More questions and answers here »

CONTACT US

Would you like to learn more?


Submision pending...
Submision received.
Submision failed. Is this a valid email?

ABOUT US

Contact us at
images/Logo200px.png

Ronald 'George' Hauser, MD

President, Founder.
Yale University School of Medicine.

images/Logo200px.png

Jeanne Hendrickson, MD

Board member emeritus, Founder.
Emory University School of Medicine.

images/Logo200px.png

Khalda A. Ibrahim, MD

Board member.
University of California, Los Angeles.

images/Logo200px.png

Neisha Lovett

Director of Communications.
University of New Haven.

images/Logo200px.png

Greg Olsen, MD, MBA

Board member.
University of Florida.

images/Logo200px.png

Christopher Tormey, MD

Board member, Founder.
Yale University School of Medicine.

images/Logo200px.png

Ugo Ugwuowo, MD

Director of Special Projects.
Yale University School of Medicine.

images/Logo200px.png

Andrew Loza, MD, PhD

Director of Software.
Yale University School of Medicine.