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Current submissions: Concepts
Which Supply Chain division does this primarily affect?
Name of your concept
Names of contributors
Concept description
What pain point or problem does your concept help solve?
Who is the target user who would use this solution?
Timestamp
Laboratory Services
53
Enhancing the CEK inventory with or without enhancing the Rare Donor Inventory as well.
Lynda Frank
Many CEK donors are “hiding” in each IRL’s ARDP donor listing. Each Reference Lab should send their ARDP listing with the CEK donors highlighted, or send the listing blank. This will help the AA initiative and hopefully increase IRL inventory so Group O red cells with fewer antigens would be available to share.
This would hopefully prompt CEK donors with full phenotypes to donate.
Telerecruiting
12/6/2021 12:17:27 PM
Increasing the laboratory pool
Pam Wilkerson
Pay tuition for staff interested in becoming Medical Technologist or Medical Technicians.
IRL short staffing
Employess interested in becoming IRL Techs, QC Techs
12/7/2021 5:28:04 AM
Eliminate IRL on-call
Pam Wilkerson
For those IRLs not staffed 24/7, operate those IRLs M-F for a designated time-frame. Do not require on-call for hours not staffed, such as third shift, weekend and holiday.
Staff attraction and retention and better work/life harmony.
IRL
12/7/2021 6:31:01 AM
Increasing the CEK inventory
Lynda Frank
Since there is a large dependence on CEK negative units with extended phenotypes for the AA initiative and the Rh Pos supply is insufficient as evidenced by the number of unfilled orders, maybe it is time to treat (at least) O neg donors who qualify under the criteria used for sending AA for molecular testing. One way to retrieve CEK O Neg donors who may not be fully phenotyped is from the CTS reports.
The (insufficient) supply problem for CEK red cells
IRL
12/16/2021 6:08:27 AM
Increase efficiency of automated donor screening
Emily Wilson
CTS currently antigen types a certain number of random group O donors for us per day. A lot of times, those randomly selected donors are repeat donors that we already have a complete phenotype on. If there was a way to interface CTS testing systems with our donor system and communicate to their automated machines to skip antigen testing on known donors, it would help us reduce duplicate work, reduce wastage, save money, and increase the number of new rare donors we find.
Eliminate repeat antigen testing of donors who have previously been antigen typed - save time, money, resources.
IRL/CTS
1/20/2022 12:09:34 PM
IRL Video Training
Jessica Kosarek, Emily Wilson
The self-paced IRL training video on how to use the reagent module of Wellsky is excellent. The interactivity along with the visuals of what the new computer software looks and functions like made learning the content SO much easier than reading it on paper. If more training items related to computer systems like the LIS or blood donor systems could be modeled into interactive videos, it would allow learners to go at their own pace, grasp the material better, and free up IRL trainers to do other tasks.
More effective training
IRL
1/20/2022 12:22:22 PM
Professional Organization Participation Incentive
Kyle McCafferty, MLS(ASCP)
Create an incentive for employees to participate in professional organizations like AABB, ASCLS, and ASCP. This may include, but not limited to, paid time off to attend the annual meetings, registration reimbursement, and membership reimbursement.
This pain point is not included but it should be emphasized that the American Red Cross should encourage its employees to be leaders and advocates of their profession. Any certified laboratory employee must accrue CE in order to keep their certification, which is required for them to be employed by the American Red Cross. Many laboratory professionals say that they would attend these annual meetings, if they were provided time off by their employer. The same thing goes for becoming a member of these professional organizations, which charge hundreds of dollars per year to be members of. These types of incentives would create a stronger organization, and help Red Cross employees stay current on their certifications, as well as educate their colleagues on the current best practices.
Laboratory Services employees, IRL, HLA, NTL employees, Collections staff
2/7/2022 11:30:29 AM
Automated Blood Deliveries - Detroit Specific
Kayla Waider
Use the automated cars, which Ford is constantly testing on the roads in the metro Detroit area by driving aimlessly, to delivery blood products or retrieve patient samples. This could be a great partnership with Ford Motor Company and ARC. Using typical cabs is a major delay to patient care. They have long times ranges that are still considered acceptable and are not always reliable or understanding of the severity in a stat patient situation. We have less and less volunteer drivers and they have specified routes which can rarely be changed with short notice. We could also partner with a consultant company like Slalom to create an app which customers or ARC employees request a pick up/drop off of samples or products from the automated cars. This could allow us the track where the car is to know when the sample would get to the lab for testing. This would reduce overtime in IRL technologists since we wouldn’t be clocked in, waiting for a sample if we knew it was hours away still. It would also reduce calls to order management or hospital services from the hospitals asking where their blood orders were. They could check the app and see exactly where their delivery car was.
Process
IRL, Hospital Services, Customer
2/7/2022 11:39:37 AM
New and Improved LIS
Reena Oad
Have an electronic LIS system that will enter all the information, employees only would have to enter the Volume of the platelets and the system should do all the calculations, what Kits to use, if the sample is below or above the required volume or yield to reject it, or consult with the medical director. The Donor platelet count(8239) or platelet count from Sysmex gets entered(have an interface) directly to the LIS system. The BAC-T system sends the results directly to the eprogesa(Prelim-Negative to Date after 12hours).
Decrease manual documentation, decrease the NCs generated, No second reviewer is required, the workload will decrease, less transcription errors.
Employees
2/15/2022 9:13:10 AM
Updated desks
Michelle Riecken
It would be nice to have ergonomically friendly desks that are not older than I am
Back problems along with computer not able to be at the right height along with the distance away that it should be
Everyone in IRL
2/22/2022 8:53:37 PM
Qualis Reports
Michelle Sonquist
Add more filters to the Qualis Reports section, ie “Filter Name”, “Test Type”
It would be easier to pull up the data without having to sort as much.
2/23/2022 9:03:55 AM
Documents for PaperVision
Michelle Sonquist
To have the option to put more QC documents together for scanning in PaperVision, ie to create a barcode packet that would include the Apheresis Platelets Yield and Disposition Log, Pre Platelet Count Purple Top Tube sheets, and the Sysmex PRP Reports. It would also be nice to put the Volume Reduction (19.4.frm229) forms with the Pathogen Reduction packets. Then the QC staff wouldn’t need to sort out as much and less barcodes would need to be printed. This would help out in a larger facility where they would need to be put in PaperVision by each day.
Less time consuming for QC staff and Admin Asst
QC Staff
2/23/2022 9:10:32 AM
Method Development to Isolate HLA Specific B-Cells from Sensitized Patient blood Samples
Varun Kesherwani and Shikha Tarang
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a polymorphic protein expressed on all human cells. HLA class I and class II play important role in Bone marrow transplantation. HLA antibody profiling is done before transplantation to identify any donor specific anti-HLA antibody in patient blood. Currently bead-based assays are used to identify antibodies in serum sample of patient. Beads coated with different HLA molecules can be multiplexed and analyzed by Luminex flow cytometers. Antibody based profiling suffers various issues that include false positive, false negative, high background, serum interference, cross reactivity, denatured antigens coating on beads, sample storage issues, complex analysis of the results. Antibody expressed and released by B-cells after antigen exposure are circulated in peripheral and lymph systems. BCR genes undergo various rearrangement in lymph nodes to generate a highly efficient antibody molecules that can bind and neutralize the antigens. B-cells circulate in the peripheral systems as a memory or naïve cell. In this proposal, we would like to develop a method to isolate HLA specific B-cell population using HLA coated beads purchased from One Lambda. Isolated B cell population then will be used for BCR sequencing to identify HLA specific BCR sequences.
Clinical Advantage of HLA-BCR sequence database:
Lab Advantage
Methods Overview:
Needs Optimization:
The problem will establish the method of HLA antigen specific B cell isolation. These BCR sequences will be used for development of HLA specific assays and therapeutics.
The data generated will be used by HLA labs to develop new grants and products for academic and commercial collaborations and new product development.
2/28/2022 8:26:55 AM
Electronic segregation of HLA units
Shonna Sims
Our current system of “segregating” an HLA selected unit is extremely manual and prone to many errors. The HLA coordinator has to identify the appropriate platelet unit, then contact the region (QC, QNL, Dist - depends on the region) to “physically tag the unit”. If the unit isn’t tagged, it will not get to the patient, if the person who tags the unit tags the wrong unit, the patient does not get the transfusion and the tagged unit can sit on our shelf in distribution and expire. If they manufacturing person is requested to tag 1 unit and tags 2, the second part sits in inventory and expires. There is no electronic “visibility” as to what is in INV on the HLA hold shelves and units can sit and expire. If HLA could add an attribute to the UNIT (not donation) that moves the unit to a hold shelf and then when Dist picks the unit to ship, will trigger Dist to “tag” the donation, the process would work much better, units would not expire and QC/QNL would not get interrupted to tag units. The current process is too manual, prone to error and causes a lot of rework.
Platelet units expiring in INV and HLA orders not getting filled.
HLA/Distribution
2/28/2022 11:11:26 AM
DMD: Integrated Inventory and Distribution Solution
Elaine Williamson and Juliet Worley
Software solution as a stand alone process or a software solution that integrates COUPA and CFS for DMD. Current state: DMD receives orders for reagents from COUPA then we have to manually enter them into CFS. We then fill the orders and ship by a manual process, then have to go back and close out the orders both in CFS and COUPA.
More streamlined ordering-shipping-closing process with fewer errors (NCs).
DMD staff trained in order processing and distribution.
2/28/2022 11:14:49 AM
Verification of Correct product selection in Connect for HLA units
Shonna Sims
HLA Orders must have a specific unit selected in order to fill the order. In connect any product can be scanned into the order and shipped, so if the incorrect unit is picked up by distribution and scanned into the eP order, there is no immediate flag. A verification step will occur within 24 hours but by that time the unit is likely transfused and a BPD is needed. Since HLA product orders MUST have a specific DIN associated with the order there should be a way for Dist to “scan” the DIN in hand and if it doesn’t match Connect, there is an immediate error flag to indicate there is an issue that needs to be corrected before that order can be packed.
BPDs for providing the wrong HLA selected unit to the customer.
Hospital Customers
2/28/2022 11:15:34 AM
DMD: Electronic Master Batch Records / Product Manufacturing Protocols
Elaine Williamson, Peter Byrne, Rajen Bhatt
Transition from completely manual paper/form driven process (thousands of hand-written entries) to electronic records for DMD product manufacturing. Realtime entry during manufacturing processes on computers and/or pads. Checks and calculations included to reduce errors.
Streamlines burdensome manual process, and reduces errors during FDA regulated manufacturing.
DMD Manufacturing Staff
2/28/2022 11:22:15 AM
DMD: Explore possible customized application for WellSky LIS at the DMD in Serology and QC.
Elaine Williamson, Peter Byrne, Meredith Eller
Use WellSky Transfusion LIS for serological testing results in DMD Serology and Quality Control.
Transition manual paper processes (pre-MBR/PMP work) with hundreds of hand-written entries into electronic form, streamlining processes and reducing errors as well as capturing workload.
DMD Serology and Quality Control staff
2/28/2022 11:47:29 AM
Barcodes for patient specimens in National Molecular Laboratory
Margaret Keller, Martin Chou
Assign and print barcode to put on patient paperwork and specimens; use barcode scanner to confirm sample identity during testing process
Handwriting patient names and specimen IDs on multiple forms and specimens; sample mixup.
Individual specimens submitted for testing to the National Molecular Lab (but this innovation could be useful in other labs within Lab Services)
3/1/2022 7:52:11 AM
Automated Process for Updated Staff CV to meet regulatory requirements leveraging job application data to populate WorkDay profile, then use employee job history to have ability to create CV on ad hoc bases for audit purposes.
Margaret Keller
Lab Services has labs where staff need up-to-date CV.
Having staff update their resume annually is pain point, and could have unintended consequence of increasing turnover (they will then use new CV to look for job outside Red Cross)
Laboratory Services technical staff
3/10/2022 2:05:46 PM
button/link “I want to sponsor a blood drive to support sickle cell patients”.
JoAnn Christensen
Create a button/link on either our donor app or website for “I want to sponsor a blood drive to support sickle cell patients”. The link could connect them with the appropriate person in the Red Cross and perhaps prioritize their interest and not lose them.
More Sickle cell Donors
Sickle cell donors
3/30/2022 12:27:17 PM
Shuttle Schedules
JoAnn Christensen
Purposefully look at scheduled shuttles and coordinate shipment of IRL units from an area of excess to an area of need. I just recently discovered that there are daily shuttles between NYP and GCP and plan to connect with Debi to see if we want to send units that way on a regular basis.
3/30/2022 12:29:40 PM
Software Needed for Allele Matched Platelets that are Needed for a Patient
Tiffany Walters
Current State: Patients with variant antigens often require molecularly tested units. Specifically, these patients (often Sickle Cells patients) must receive units matched at the allele level. Currently there is no place to record or search for alleles in eP for matching. When an allele matched units is needed for a patient, the current process is for the American Rare Donor program to send a list of all possible donors out to the field. Each lab must then look up each donor (by DID) to see if they have a liquid or frozen unit in inventory. This is very time consuming.
Innovative Request: Request a software utility that the NIMS group can use to cross-reference the list of possible donor matched per request by DID of what is currently available in inventory. NIMS has a list of all products currently in inventory. If the list could also include the DID for each unit, a utility could be developed to cross reference a list of possible DID matches against all of the donors that have recent units in inventory.
Benefit: Deliver on mission - more rare units can be located for some the most difficult patients to match. Often these are sickle cell patients. Save tech time, from looking up each donor in each region every day. (list can be 10-40 donors each with many donations). Increase revenue, as these units are sold at a premium price.
3/30/2022 12:31:33 PM
Move Donor Testing to the Manufacturing Region IRL’s
Chris Barron
Move all the donor testing (at least NTDs and ABID) to the Manufacturing region IRLs – this testing can be performed by Medical Technicians
3/30/2022 12:33:35 PM
Implement HEA Testing in 24 Hour IRL’s
Chris Barron
Implement HEA testing in 24 hour IRLs to improve customer TAT and satisfaction
3/30/2022 12:34:49 PM
Implement a volunteer network for picking up IRL samples
Chris Barron
Implement a volunteer network for picking up IRL samples
3/30/2022 12:35:24 PM
Train Distribution to select antigen negative blood
Chris Barron
Train Distribution to select antigen negative blood to fill orders in regions that take call to reduce the number of calls our staff receive
3/30/2022 12:36:29 PM
Leverage WellSky Transfusion to expand our Transfusion Service offerings
Chris Barron
Leverage WellSky Transfusion to expand our Transfusion Service offerings
3/30/2022 12:38:02 PM
Antigen Screening
Monica Crosby
Each Manufacturing IRL have automated antigen typing platform (Ortho Vision, BioRad IH, IRIS etc.) that can antigen type in large numbers so the receiving regions would only have to confirm. This would
reduce staff workload in the IRLs
Save on antisera
lend to only high complexity testing in the satellite labs
Increase turnaround time
Saved money on FedEx overnight shipping for donor tubes to Penn-Jersey
Results could be uploaded into RSA/eProgesa saving transcription errors
3/30/2022 12:39:19 PM
Invest in Closed system for Freeze/Wash/Deglyc
Monica Crosby
Invest in Closed system for Freeze/Wash/Deglyc
Increasing the longevity of washed 7 days. This would save product, shipping issues, units could be shared across the system. Currently washed products have a 24 hour expiration date from the time of the bag being spiked.
7 days would allow us to move the process to more staffed regions when the smaller IRLs who are short staffed cannot keep up with the demand
Alternatively, we could centralize or move FWD to a select few locations that could ship units out from that location
3/30/2022 12:40:14 PM
IRL Only Contracts
Monica Crosby
IRL Only Contracts
Need support from Sales and Finance to sell these
IRL services should be discounted with a contract. Currently they’re charging ad hoc prices which gives no incentive for customers to use us.
Despite a blood service contract customers should still be able to use the IRL. Whether we give them units or not is negotiable.
3/30/2022 12:41:31 PM
Traveling Tech
Lauren Smith
A traveling tech maybe someone who does all donor activities so that it is standardized across the country. Then that staff member could travel to whatever IRL needs them.
3/30/2022 12:44:18 PM
CTS - Perform All Donor Testing
Lauren Smith
Have the CTS lab perform ALL donor testing, instead of the IRL
3/30/2022 12:45:39 PM
Process to Remove all IRL Staff from Unions in Applicable Regions
Monica Keith
I would like to pursue identifying the resources, stakeholders, and actions that need to be involved in removing IRL staff from the unions in applicable regions. Unions are not structured or positioned to adequately recognize and compensate IRL staff for their experience, technical expertise, certification status, or job titles.
3/30/2022 12:47:24 PM
IRL NEO - Integrate One Day - with all Labs at that Region
Joel Valdez
As part of NEO for new Collections staff, integrate at least one day where they would be with the local IRL and Manufacturing/HS departments so that they will see first-hand how the blood they collect saves lives within their specific region. This may be better since each region’s patient population is unique in its own way which may resonate more with the Collections staff as they interact with the community. Establishing a knowledgeable foundation at the beginning (before they get too busy with their own training) will go a long way and may stimulate their own process improvement ideas as they learn our collections process. As an additional feature, have Collection Managers/Supervisors/Team Leads rotate one day with the same departments.
3/30/2022 12:49:17 PM
Untap the Military Resource for Blood Donations
Joel Valdez
There are many military bases all across the United States but each base does not have a Blood Donor Center. Military members are an untapped resource that can yield thousands of whole blood units collected. I will say that ARC does collect on bases that are considered “training” bases and/or where “Boot Camps” are located. However in the mind of the military leaders (at least when I was active duty), ARC was considered a 3rd tier collection entity because ARC does not allow military hospitals to exchange short dated units. For that reason, ARC is last on the list to collect. 1st tier would be the military donor centers (for obvious reasons). 2nd tier would be an organization like OneBlood where short dated exchanges are allowed. Then if there are any donors left, ARC is allowed to come on board to collect. If ARC allowed military treatment facilities (hospitals) the ability to exchange short dated units, then the bases would probably allow ARC to collect more from military personnel. As you probably already know, the MOU is based on a credit system. For every 3-4 whole blood units collected on a military facility, the military would get 1 “free” unit. In times like these where collections are low, it might be a worth exploring. Just my humble thoughts as I think of more innovative ideas.
3/30/2022 12:50:54 PM
Prior Type Discrepancies
Joel Valdez
Prior Type Discrepancies: I have always believed and advocated that PTD’s should be managed by DCSC or by the Process Support Group. The Process Support Groups have expanded their oversight to issues beyond just Collection problems, work from home, and rotate On-Call hours between their regional groups (so they have someone available 24/7). They are also Core Team members too and have access to the Blood Collection Manifests which are necessary to have in order to execute some gain control functions accurately.
3/30/2022 12:51:30 PM
Devise a System to make it Easier and Faster for IRL’s to Determine Rare Units
Leslie Thomas
Make it easier and faster for IRLs to determine rare units to keep before labeling, this would allow more units to be available for general inventory or other IRLs.
Currently, IRL staff print a pending report daily. In order to determine if a unit should be retained by the IRL, the staff need to look up the known phenotype. The known phenotype can be obtained in 2 ways, a multicriteria report can be printed and compared to the pending report or each DIN can
be looked up in eProgesa.
This process would be more efficient if there was one report that had both - the pending tests and the known phenotypes.
Increase efficiency of automated donor screening
CTS currently performs antigen testing on a predetermined number of random O donors per day, many times these are repeat donors that already have a complete phenotype.
If CTS could interface with eProgesa and send a communication to the automated machines to skip antigen testing on donors with a known phenotype, it would increase the number of rare donors, reduce wastage, and save money.
3/30/2022 12:54:01 PM
More Effective Training
Leslie Thomas
The self-paced IRL training video on how to use the reagent module for WellSky is excellent. The interactivity along with visuals of what the new computer software look and functions like made learning the content SO much easier than reading it on paper.
If more training items related to computer systems like the LIS or eProgesa were interactive videos, it would allow learners to go at their won pace, grasp the material better , and free up IRL trainers to do other tasks.
3/30/2022 12:55:00 PM
NEO video about Lab Services - Show to All Staff
Karen Rodberg
I really enjoyed watching it on the CWC call. Is it used for all new hires, or only lab staff? If not, I think it should be shown to all new staff. No one in other departments seem to know much about what we do.
3/30/2022 12:59:26 PM
Need an Easier Way to do Screen Shots on e-PROGESA
Karen Rodberg
eProgesa – We need an easy way to do screen prints of the donor’s historic phenotype. We currently have to use the snipping tool to isolate the area that has the DINs and the phenotype and then paste it into a Word document for each donor we’re testing. It’s so tedious. If they can’t do this for eProgesa (I’m sure we asked for it years ago) then let’s be sure it’s included in the list of must-haves for ARCOne.
3/30/2022 1:00:49 PM
Need Better Way to get Manipulate Need Information on ePROGESA Reports
Karen Rodberg
eProgesa – We need a way, similar to the 4-hour reports, that we can slice and dice in Excel to print the inventory by blood group, expiration date, etc. Years ago Debbie Bailey’s husband wrote us a macro that we use for the Multicriteria Report that we import into Excel. We add our inventory tag number to it, and can add units daily after TOR confirmation by scanning the DIN and the phenotype from the MCR populates.
3/30/2022 1:03:22 PM
Expand the use of eProgesa’s product racker software to have an IRL Inventory section
Celeste Dean-el
Expand the use of eProgesa’s product racker software to have an IRL Inventory section. Currently, we have makeshift inventories in the form of an excel spreadsheets and must check multiple sources before we can locate a unit. In the hospital it was very useful to electronically find a unit’s location and status all in one stop. Having one way to locate units would make filling orders remotely much easier. Some issues with our current process:
The techs do not always update the spreadsheet since it is an additional step
The techs cannot get a report from the spreadsheet which would make searching for the best unit (e.g. not overly screened)
In some locations, the hospital services technicians much match the antigens to the appropriate orders—we should get away from this practice and leave it only for IRL technologists and technicians
Could the product racker software print an automatic ATR? The technicians spend so much time writing one out and getting a review. This can be an electronic process
3/30/2022 1:09:44 PM
Online Employee Appreciation Site
Celeste Dean-el
An online employee appreciation site for IRL specifically--Having some place on the Intranet where we can celebrate the staff and have it published. What we did at my old job was when people reached a certain number of awards, they got money (50 dollar gift cards). There was also a paragraph published about what the staff did and how it helps the greater good. It was electronic so no need to write anything out and people were able to see easily what they could do to get better themselves.
3/30/2022 1:11:24 PM
Electronic Site to Site Forms
Celeste Dean-el
Still learning this process so forgive me if I misspeak—site to site forms in which we request/send units to other places should be electronic. Wonder if the eProgesa software has a way to make a form and keep it. Most LISs can do something like this.
3/30/2022 1:12:33 PM
Allow BS degree technicians to promote to technologists without the certification
Celeste Dean-el
Allow BS degree technicians to promote to technologists without the certification (not the full 5% raise) . If they get certified, they can have a full raise. Many hospitals are hiring BS degree’s candidates with considerably more pay than our technicians with the same degree.
3/30/2022 1:13:51 PM
Host commercials on local radio stations for recruitment of donors
Celeste Dean-el
Host commercials on local radio stations for recruitment of donors—some radio stations are active in the community, especially black communities here in Cleveland
3/30/2022 1:14:36 PM
Increase Social Media Advertisements for Donor Recruitment
Celeste Dean-el
Increase Social Media Advertisements for Donor Recruitment-work with them to see how we can change the algorithms in order to increase visibility of ARC initiatives
3/30/2022 1:15:46 PM
Add to the fields in Connect to require the customer to give better historical information
Celeste Dean-el
Add to the fields in Connect to require the customer to give better historical information-we have many issues in which the customer provides very inaccurate information while placing IRL service orders. In return the techs are unknowingly performing less-than-efficient workups, having to go back and forth with hospital techs who barely speak “blood bank”, doing unnecessary testing, performing a workup on things that are not STAT, etc. The IRL should revise the order form in Connect.
3/30/2022 1:16:26 PM
Standardize Urgent Assessment tool and its content
Celeste Dean-el
Standardize Urgent Assessment tool and its content
If using the urgent assessment tool, CONNECT should have it retrievable so the customer has it readily available.
In the Customer Satisfaction Surveys, there should be a way to capture the desires of the customers for increased services as well-perhaps this survey can be where customers say “I wish my IRL would do this service______” as a starting point to plan for growth. When I was at the hospitals we had to conform to the limits of the IRL. If we had their wishlist we could plan for the future after getting their metrics.
3/30/2022 1:17:16 PM
Training: Patient Antibody ID:
Debi Giardina
Training: Patient Antibody ID:
Implement a standardized training outline for patient antibody ID similar to the outline enclosed. The goal of the training outline is to train basic vs. complex antibody identification procedures. In addition, the training/sign-off of all procedures trained in Lessons 1-4 allows staff to work independently on patient antibody identification samples prior to the completion of training on lessons 5-19. (Unable to attach the document)
3/30/2022 1:20:03 PM
Local/Divisional:
Interview an IRL staff person to spotlight each month to promote DEI
Debi Giardina
Local/Divisional:
Interview an IRL staff person to spotlight each month to promote DEI
3/30/2022 1:20:54 PM
AEL - AML ONLY - Catalogues on COUPA
Carol Trykowski
Some instruments and supply items can be in/on multiple catalogues. Simplify the process for all of the Laboratories that have AEL-AML items, and pull those items into 1 Catalogue.
Confusion on which item to order (yes - it is marked with a Purple Banner with AEL or AML) so you know if you have the correct item, but if not, how do you find the correct item?
All staff who order AEL-AML items
3/30/2022 1:28:51 PM
Manufacturing
70
Supply Chain Ops
18
Tube mess gone
Laveena Rodriguez, concept created by LaTonua Harris and the Tulsa kitting team
QC1 totes can be a mess. Tape helps. The kitting team strategically place tape on the tube packaging to make sure that it does not split and make a mess. Around the top and bottom, and around the sides. A little slit in the top so the phlebotomist can pull tubes out without ripping the plastic up. It has cut down dramatically on the time needed to sort tubes.
Kitting pain point
Kitting department
12/1/2021 12:28:44 PM
QC App
Jacqueline Breen
An App accessible within the virtual workplace or ARC controlled tablets in which Maximo IDs for locations and QC instructions and questions are stored and completed. After completion each day, these QCs would be submitted to a cloud database allowing for less paper consumption, less time, and easier second reviewing.
Excessive manual paperwork
Employee
12/1/2021 2:24:48 PM
Order that button
Laveena Rodriguez
In Coupa, when checking on hand balance to see if another warehouse has the item, it would be nice to have a button on that screen that allowed you to order it from the other warehouse right there, instead of having to back to the front screen to create an order.
less clicking
Inventory/ Warehouse
12/10/2021 7:30:43 AM
Automated Order submission for blood and blood products
Raul Mora and Demond Ausley
Allows hospital partners an automated solution for bringing blood and blood products inventory to predetermined levels. Process would required customers to scan products out of their inventory when used and the system (maybe Connect?) would track what was used and place an order with ARC to bring inventory levels back to the predetermined levels.
This would address two pain points. 1) The requirement for customers to enter an order for blood or blood products by a set time would no longer be necessary, with the system generating an order automatically there is no need to enter an order. 2) The orders would be set up to print to the facility where the customer is serviced so it would free up Order Management to field emergency orders.
The hospital customers, the staff that manage Order Management and the HS staff that fill the orders. Customers would have to scan products out of the system (maybe Connect can be modified to incorporate the process) once the product is assigned for use. The system would calculate how many products were used and auto generate an order to replenish the products used and bring the levels back to predetermined levels. The system would also print the order at the facility that the customer is serviced out of which would streamline the process and prevent departure delays for route deliveries.
3/1/2022 4:50:50 AM
Auto generated PM stickers
Sue Farrey
With equipment staff performing paperless PMs in eMax, it would be beneficial to have eMax spit out a PM sticker that would be attached to the equipment that was just maintained.
there are so many documentation issues with PM stickers. By having something automatically generated, it would eliminate numerous non-conformances. Having all these documentaion issues on PM stickers is quite costly, as there has to be an investigation, and in the end, another work order generated in eMax to document changing the PM sticker.
Equipment staff, apheresis staff or any staff that are currently performing paperless work orders in eMax. Eventually all work orders will be paperless, so at that time those staff would also be affected.
3/7/2022 5:52:53 AM
Collections Staff Should Scan Device BarCodes.
James McPherson
On a drive, the Supervisor or lead would scan the BarCodes of all the GMP and eBDR equipment managed in eMax to a simple excel spreadsheet. Before staff leave drive they would close cases completing a post scan. The codes can be sorted at front and back and should match. They could quickly see numbers do not match. There could be something in eMax or printouts of these when returned which could make it a deeper dive but generally if they are expected to complete this process we will see improvement. We in EM often use this method for a quick look at what is at a site or in an SCU. Then evaluate the process to see if we have improved. Ultimately, the leads or Supervisors need to be accountable to this process.
Lack of responsibility for lost equipment by Collections staff.
Collections staff
3/11/2022 9:54:17 AM
Stock box supplies in warehouse locations
Tim Fowler
Keep a warehouse supply of box part items instead of purchasing from vendor on demand
Lack of box supplies/long cycle time for supplies from vendor
Manufacturing and Collections
3/22/2022 12:25:49 PM
Standardized job postings
Tim Fowler
Assess job postings with a high success rate in hiring cycle time & standardize job postings for specific criteria to use when posting jobs (including/excluding salary, job descriptions, work hours, benefits, etc).
Lengthy cycle time for hiring and lack of candidates for open positions
Talent Acquisition, Hiring Managers
3/22/2022 12:36:55 PM
Integration of TMS into Volunteer Cost Tracker
Sarah Morefield
The information is already in TMS, why can’t we select the Volunteer; like we did in TMA and all the information needed for the Volunteer Cost Saving Tracker is captured in TMS EXCEPT Empty Boxes Returned.
Using the information is TMS would save many people a lot of time
Volunteer Cost Savings Tracker takes a lot of time to complete, entering the same date multiple times, Same Volunteer multiple times during the month, New volunteer/run, service type, primary transportation purpose, number of stops, number of boxes or pick-ups, number of empty boxes returns, total number of miles, ARC vehicle. THIS IS COMPLETED FOR EVERY VOLUNTEER EVERYDAY.
Manufacturing staff and volunteers
3/22/2022 1:46:00 PM
TMS Inclusive Routes
Michael Hullinger
Being able to consolidate deliveries into one route for all delivery types (STAT, ASAP, Routine)
Will minimize amount of routes created for one driver delivering multiple stops
Employees
3/28/2022 12:51:41 PM
Small tubes for HLA as well
Stephen Browning
Please use the 4ml EDTA tubes for HLA testing. 6ml EDTA is unnecessary and cumbersome.
Less blood taken from donors! Uniformity for QC and HLA tubes. Storing short tube is easier and mixing short tubes is so much easier.
Collections, Apheresis, QC, HLA
4/20/2022 6:31:18 PM
Test
Joan Saar
Test
Test
Test
8/12/2022 1:04:43 PM
Update buildings in sunny areas with roof top solar using C-PACE financing.
Wendy Palmer; IRL Supervisor
I have been looking into C-PACE as it just got enacted in Montana. It’s not just solar, it includes all sorts of energy efficient items including insulation and energy efficient equipment. Each state and each county have to OPT in. Cascade county where Great Falls ARC site is located has opted in. What is so great about it is you have to have an energy audit done prior to doing any improvements. Once the audit is done and they see what improvements you want to make, they HAVE to make sure it is a cost saving endeavor over the life of the improvements you are doing. (I would think rooftop solar has around a 30 year life) So if you aren’t’ going to save more money than what it costs to do, they won’t approve you. If you do save money, its approved and then the loan is added to your property tax as an assessment. So you only pay your assessment fee 2x per year (not every month) and it is over the life of the improvements. It could be a 10, 20 or 30 loan making the payments as low as possible. AND the loan is attached to the property, not the individual or organization. So if ARC ever sold the building or ended a lease, the loan stays attached to the property. The new owners/leasee would assume the loan because they are reaping the benefits of the improvements. So you would be humming along, not paying any energy bill or a much reduced bill each month, and stashing enough saved cash to pay your assessment fee twice a year. The only upfront cost is the energy audit. Here are links for more information:
Reduce our energy bill, save money for the organization and help fulfill our sustainability mission. We could possibly get carbon credit for this also.
Great Fall, MT site or any site where C-PACE has been passed.
9/19/2022 10:02:53 AM
Wage increase
Paul Forbes
Set Standards of how much needs to be done each day and anything that exceeds the standards bonus per tote or item.
Many people are looking for more money this way you can help those who are willing to go above and beyond.
Employee
9/30/2022 12:10:19 PM
Tote Money waste
Paul Forbes
We send gloves and other supplies from one centralized location in totes to many different locations. These get sent back from the mobile sites still full or close to full some times with the tag still in place. Which means it wasn’t used but we paid shipping cost for it to go back and fourth. If we would just have a part time employee to empty totes before being sent back and have that part time employee combine items to build new totes where possible. this would drastically decrease waste in shipping. I want to point out gloves just as an example each person at a fixed site or mobile employees where responsible for picking up their gloves they will use for that drive as the pick up there vehicle than there would be no need for glove totes at all.
Waste of funds
Employees
9/30/2022 12:21:35 PM
Tote Numbers
Paul Forbes
Putting Bar code on each tote and than getting bar code scanners along with an ipad with excel than the Manuel entry would no longer be needed.
Time and money being use on an outdated concept.
Employee
9/30/2022 12:30:42 PM
Test of knowledge
Paul Forbes
There is a lack of knowledge
When employees don’t have enough knowledge it can lead to rework or the job not being done at all. If we test peoples knowledge than we can know where to focus training efforts.
Management
9/30/2022 12:36:48 PM
Recruiting employees
Paul Forbes
We already have donor recruiters why not use those same people to recruit new employees
staffing gap
Employee
9/30/2022 12:42:56 PM
Export submissions (admin functionality)
141
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