Blood Banks Association of New York State upcoming events

BBANYS October 7, 2026 Webinar - Alloantibody Exchange: 5M Patients and Counting (Wednesday, October 07, 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 / 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Title:
Alloantibody Exchange: 5M Patients and Counting

Speaker:
R. George Hauser, MD
Yale School of Medicine

Speaker Bio:
R. George Hauser, MD, is Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, with secondary appointments in Biomedical Informatics & Data Science and in Biostatistics. He is board-certified in Clinical Pathology and Clinical Informatics, and his work centers on using data to improve medical decision-making, including blood transfusion. He has contributed transfusion-dosing calculators to MDCalc and previously served as Chief Science Officer at Biocogniv. Dr. Hauser is a founder and volunteer for the Alloantibody Exchange and serves as VA Site Director of the Yale/VA Medical Informatics Fellowship. He earned his MD at Yale and his biomedical engineering degree at the University of Michigan.

Abstract:
Alloantibodies identified at one hospital are often invisible to the next, leaving patients at risk for transfusion delays and hemolytic reactions when their history doesn't follow them. The Alloantibody Exchange closes that gap with a national service for transfusion medicine history review. Participating sites set up an automated, secure data upload, so any member site can check whether a patient has a documented antibody history elsewhere — a database that now covers more than five million patients. A recent addition lets sites share full reference laboratory reports as PDFs, so reviewers can see the original workup rather than a single summary field. This talk introduces the Exchange, walks through how records and reference lab PDFs are shared, and presents case reports showing how a more complete transfusion history changes decisions and improves patient care.

Objectives:
After this webinar, participants will be able to:

Describe the Alloantibody Exchange as a national transfusion medicine history review service, including how sites join and contribute data.
Explain how reference laboratory reports are shared as PDFs within the Exchange and how they complement structured antibody records.
Use case examples to assess how access to a more comprehensive transfusion history can improve transfusion decisions and patient safety.

Disclosures:
Dr. Hauser volunteers for the Alloantibody Exchange without direct or indirect compensation.

Pricing:

Members: FREE (Registration is required.)
Non-Members: $45 per session & $130 entire series
Institutions: $75 per session & $200 entire series

To receive member pricing, be sure to sign in.

View our complete calendar of upcoming events and register now:
www.bbanys.org/events

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BBANYS October 28, 2026 Webinar - Transfusion Reaction Dataset (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 / 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Title:
Transfusion Reaction Dataset

Speaker:
Nalan Yurtsever, MD
Yale School of Medicine

Speaker Bio:
Nalan Yurtsever, MD is an Assistant Professor of Laboratory Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine with expertise in transfusion medicine and apheresis. She currently serves as the Medical Director of the Clinical Laboratory at Bridgeport Hospital and Assistant Medical Director of the blood bank. Dr. Yurtsever is committed to improving laboratory quality to enhance both diagnosis and treatment. Her work aims to advance laboratory testing methods and deepen the understanding of transfusion-related challenges to improve patient outcomes.

Abstract:

Background
It is well-established that transfusion reactions are under-reported with rates being markedly lower for some serious reactions such as transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO). We implemented a retrospective transfusion reaction alert system to enhance recognition and reporting of transfusion reactions.

Study Design and Methods
We modified an existing transfusion dataset to create a transfusion reaction alert system that flagged cases based on certain criteria and sent an email to the blood bank teams to prompt retrospective review of the case.

Results
In six-month period, the transfusion reaction dataset identified 36 previously unreported reactions across the health system with 22 being TACO reactions compared to 17 TACOs reported to the blood banks leading to 129% increase in TACO identification. Following implementation, transfusion reaction reporting at Hospital B increased from 0.627% to 0.683% and TACO identification rate showed 293% increase.

Conclusion
Targeted modification of existing resources can increase recognition and reporting of transfusion reactions.

Objectives:
After this webinar, participants will be able to:

Identifying all the parties involved in establishing a system-wide transfusion reaction initiative
Demonstrating the effectiveness of an automated dataset to audit transfusions
Applying the outcomes of data to daily practice

Disclosures:
None

Pricing:

Members: FREE (Registration is required.)
Non-Members: $45 per session & $130 entire series
Institutions: $75 per session & $200 entire series

To receive member pricing, be sure to sign in.

View our calendar of upcoming events:
www.bbanys.org/events

Stay up-to-date with all the latest happenings. Follow us on:
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BBANYS Podcast Series (subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)

BBANYS November 18, 2026 Webinar - Bleeding and Coagulopathy in Cardiac Surgery Patients (Wednesday, November 18, 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, November 18, 2026 / 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

Title:
Bleeding and Coagulopathy in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Speaker:
Margo Hoyler, MD
Weill Cornell Medical Center

Speaker Bio:
Margo Hoyler is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she is a member of the Divisions of Cardiac Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine.

Dr. Hoyler’s academic interests include the perioperative management of frail patients and patient blood management. She serves on multiple national committees related to cardiac anesthesia and critical care, including the American Society of Anesthesiology Committee on Patient Blood Management. She is also a founding member and Vice Chair of the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Critical Care Medicine Special Interest Group.

Dr. Hoyler is board certified in anesthesiology, cardiac anesthesiology, critical care medicine and advanced perioperative transesophageal echocardiography.

Abstract:
Cardiac surgery accounts for up to 20% of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in the United States, and cardiac surgery patients are at high risk of perioperative coagulopathy. This webinar will review the risk factors and mechanisms for coagulopathy in this unique patient population. In addition, this webinar will present cutting-edge evidence regarding bleeding and coagulopathy management in cardiac surgery patients, with an emphasis on the use of viscoelastic testing and factor/fibrinogen concentrates.

Objectives:
After this webinar, participants will be able to:

Evaluate risk factors for coagulopathy in cardiac surgery patients, including mechanisms by which cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) leads to coagulopathy
Apply current and emerging data to guide fibrinogen repletion strategies in cardiac surgery patients
Develop a targeted strategy for coagulopathy treatment in cardiac surgery patients

Disclosures:
None

Pricing:

Members: FREE (Registration is required.)
Non-Members: $45 per session & $130 entire series
Institutions: $75 per session & $200 entire series

To receive member pricing, be sure to sign in.

View our calendar of upcoming events:
www.bbanys.org/events

Stay up-to-date with all the latest happenings. Follow us on:
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BBANYS Podcast Series (subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)

BBANYS December 9, 2026 Webinar - RH You Ready? A Review of a Blood Group System Through Cases (Wednesday, December 09, 2026)

Wed, 09 Dec 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Wednesday, December 9, 2026 / 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

Title:
RH You Ready? A Review of a Blood Group System Through Cases

Speaker:
Lynsi Rahorst, MHPE, MLS(ASCP)SBBCM
Director, Education & Training
New York Blood Center Enterprises

Speaker Bio:
After working for several years in the Immunohematology Reference Laboratory at Community Blood Center in Kansas City, Lynsi is now Director of Education and Training for New York Blood Center Enterprises. In this role, she supports training of laboratory staff and directs educational programs and content offered by NYBCe for the greater transfusion medicine community. She has served on multiple AABB committees, is an AABB IRL assessor, and participates in Spanish language initiatives in transfusion medicine education. Lynsi is passionate about educating and training the next generation of leaders in immunohematology and genomics.

Abstract:
The Rh blood group system has played a pivotal role in the evolution of transfusion medicine, from its early discovery to its ongoing impact on modern blood banking practices. This webinar will explore key historical milestones that shaped our understanding of the Rh system and examine both the well-known antigens and less familiar antigens that can present significant clinical challenges. Participants will gain insight into unique problems Rh antibodies can create in pretransfusion testing, antibody identification, and the provision of compatible blood. Through case-based discussion and practical examples, attendees will strengthen their understanding of the Rh system and its importance in ensuring safe and effective transfusion support.

Objectives:
After this webinar, participants will be able to:

Describe important aspects of the RH blood group system revealed through a review of history.
Identify widely familiar and less familiar antigens of the RH blood group system.
Discuss circumstances in which RH antibodies present unique challenges in the blood bank.

Disclosures:
None

Pricing:

Members: FREE (Registration is required.)
Non-Members: $45 per session & $130 entire series
Institutions: $75 per session & $200 entire series

To receive member pricing, be sure to sign in.

View our calendar of upcoming events:
www.bbanys.org/events

Stay up-to-date with all the latest happenings. Follow us on:
LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
BBANYS Podcast Series (subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)