ISBT Kuala Lumpur

There is an expanding number of randomized trials evaluating threshold of red cell transfusion. There are implications for many countries, resource-poor and resource rich, as well as for use of blood in children and adults. Most evidence from clinical trials comparing liberal v restrictive transfusion strategies support the guideline recommended use of restrictive transfusion strategy.   However, recent large trials published in high impact journals (NEJM and JAMA) suggest that restrictive strategy may be harmful in some clinical settings. In this workshop, we review the clinical trials in all populations, including patients with acute myocardial infarction (MINT, REALITY), high risk cardiovascular patients undergoing surgery (TOPS), acute neurocritical care patients with traumatic brain injury, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, or intracerebral hemorrhage (HEMOTION, SAHARA, TRAIN).  These new trials have the potential to change clinical practice, and the findings need to be carefully considered by the international transfusion community.  We believe the interpretation of these new trials requires a nuanced approach to use of blood in individual patients, considering the amount of benefit, alongside the safety/risks and availability of RBC transfusions, which varies worldwide.

• Date: Monday 22 June, 08:30-10:00
• Facilitators: Jeffrey L Carson and Simon Stanworth

Welcome to a journey into the world of systematic and Cochrane reviews! 

Systematic and Cochrane reviews are considered the “gold standard” for summarising evidence and guiding decision-making in medical research. But how are they done? What is considered a good review? What tools can we use to put them together? How can one design and conduct a review that is robust and impactful? 

In this interactive workshop, the team from Transfusion Evidence Round-Up program and “Talking Transfusion” podcast will guide participants through a step-by-step journey of how to frame a clear research question, design a search strategy, conduct quality assessments and synthesise review findings. 

There will be small group breakout sessions led by the workshop facilitators, in which participants will work through different aspects of systematic and Cochrane reviews. Participants will be given practical tips which may help them design and conduct their own systematic reviews. 
 

• Date: Monday 22 June, 13:45-15:15
• Facilitators: The Transfusion Evidence Round-Up Team (Allison Mo, Erica Wood, Catherine Kimber)

How do we move from evidence to everyday practice in transfusion medicine? This interactive workshop will explore practical strategies, tools and real-world experiences in knowledge implementation across transfusion issues. Participants will engage directly with ongoing projects designed to bridge the gap between guidelines, recommendations and practice. 

• Date: Monday 22 June, 15:45-17:15
• Facilitators: Simon Stanworth and Erica Wood 

The primary target group is ISBT members with an emerging interest in setting up a platelet immunology laboratory, who would benefit from an in-depth discussion regarding the technical and methodological aspects of platelet antibody diagnostics. The secondary target group is ISBT members with a general interest in platelet and granulocyte immunobiology. Part of the workshop will be educational.

• Date: Monday 22 June, 15:45-17:15
• Facilitators: Petter Höglund and Maria Therese Ahlen

Outbreaks of infectious disease in the local community pose complex challenges to blood safety and supply. Outbreaks may involve transfusion transmissible agents that directly impact blood safety, or agents that impact community wellness and donor recruitment. In resource limited settings challenges to addressing risks are compounded by limitations in public health surveillance, staffing, laboratory supplies and equipment and reliance on small donor pools. These challenges also vary depending on the context such as low versus middle income countries, centralized versus decentralized blood systems and rural versus urban settings. In this session we will hear from transfusion experts in infection outbreak management and engage participants to brainstorm ways of preparing in advance, and of responding when the need arises.  

• Date: Tuesday 23 June, 08:30-10:30
• Facilitators: Sheila O'Brien

This workshop will introduce attendees to clinical vignettes that highlight concepts in the ISBT Code of Ethics. Attendees will vote using their phones on answers to questions related to the vignettes presented. We hope to stimulate discussion on these challenging issues. Topics will include pediatric transfusion and stem cell transplantation and genomics testing of donors. Additionally, attendees will be presented with proposed revisions to the ISBT Code of Ethics for discussion. Presenters are members of the ISBT Standing Committee on Ethics (SCE) or part of the leadership of the Donors and Donation Working party.

• Date: Tuesday 23 June, 08:30-10:30
• Facilitator: Richard Charlewood

Back by popular demand, the Immunohaematology interactive case studies!  With the added fun of Blood Group Bingo this year!  There will be music, prizes and loads of learning through interactive elements and interesting case studies.

• Date: Tuesday 23 June, 13:45-15:15
• Facilitators: Nicole Thornton, Peter Ligthart & Sofia Lejon Crottet 

Join us for a dynamic, fast paced workshop offering concise overview presentations on key transfusion IT systems, challenges and potential solutions. Using the polling option in the ISBT conference app for interactive audience participation and engaging in small group discussions, you’ll collaborate to explore solutions, share insights and learning from experiences, and co create tangible action plans. Walk away with practical ideas ready to implement—strengthening transfusion safety through smarter systems and collective insight.

• Date: Wednesday 24 June, 10:30-12:00
• Facilitators: Karen Moniz and Gopal Patidar

Programme: 

• Overview of transfusion IT systems - Megan Rowley
• How can IT help with traceability? - Karen Moniz 
• Challenges with implementation of transfusion IT systems - Julie Staves
• Learning from IT errors reported to SHOT and human factors perspective - Megan Rowley
• Managing planned and unplanned IT downtime and future prospects - Julie Staves 
   

Aims of the workshop

• Enhance understanding of transfusion IT systems by exploring their design, functionality, and common sources of error, with a focus on identifying implementation gaps and strategies to avoid pitfalls
• Strengthen safe transfusion practice through the promotion of effective IT solutions, collaborative approaches, and robust system improvements that support haemovigilance and patient safety

Useful resources:

Using Information Technology for Safe Transfusion - Serious Hazards of Transfusion

Standardized electronic messages to enhance communication in transfusion and transplantation - Moniz - 2024 - Vox Sanguinis - Wiley Online Library

SCRIPT and Transfusion IT Resources - Serious Hazards of Transfusion

Target audience:  Anyone interested in transfusion medicine and to all staff: clinical and laboratory working in the field of transfusion

In order to join this workshop, please fill in the registration form below.

This workshop will provide insights into how social and behavioural sciences research approaches can be used to address questions in transfusion medicine and blood banking, and will provide examples of multidisciplinary studies that aim to tackle key challenges both current and on the horizon. Attendees will have an opportunity to bring social and behavioural science-related questions from their organization to workshop with panelists.

• Date: Wednesday 24 June, 13:45-15:15
• Facilitators: Thane Moze Darumalinggam and Noriko Namba