News

A cursory review of recent blood banking operations literature points to a rather dramatic shift (or decline, if you prefer) in core blood product demand and many speculate we will see more of the same over the next few years. If this is true (and I happen to believe it is), then we have an…

This month I accepted the position as CEO of America’s Blood Centers. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to work with this wonderful organization. I believe ABC’s future is full of promise and I am excited about what lies ahead. I am also aware that most of you do not know me,…

“Charity begins at home, but should not end there.” This quote has a number of variations and has been attributed to many authors over the years, but in the end, it always drives home the same point: to help the world, you must first start with the members of your immediate family and community. Then,…

As the partial government shutdown closes in on the end of its second week, and the world nervously turns its attention to the possible default of the US Treasury, there is a rather somber attitude in Washington D.C. and all over the country. Many are experiencing the “trickle-down effect” of the shutdown. It really hit me when…

On Sept. 20, America’s Blood Centers announced the hiring of Christine Zambricki, DNAP, CRNA, as ABC’s new CEO. I hope readers were as impressed as ABC staff was with her experience, skills, and qualifications. With her healthcare advocacy background, we couldn’t have asked for a better candidate to lead ABC at this very moment. Getting…

I dislike the term “value-added.” I realize why the term exists and the importance of differentiating between delivering blood products and providing a comprehensive service approach to support hospitals. I just think the phrase somehow minimizes the very essence of the vital services that are often called “value-added.” You will find an article in this…

As this Newsletter goes to print, America’s Blood Centers’ 12th bi-annual Financial Management Workshop will coming to a close. It is amazing how far this workshop has progressed since 1990 when a group of accountants, including me, decided that blood center financial professionals needed an opportunity to come together and share ideas. At this year’s…

I distinctly recall my aunt and uncle taking my cousins and me to a drive-in theater back in 1963 to see that year’s big special-effects film, “Jason and the Argonauts.” Based on Greek mythology, the hero Jason stood before Zeus and Hera in the heavenly Olympus and received direct guidance about how he might find…

I always told my kids to be careful turning over rocks – there might be a scorpion there to sting them. The warning came from my clinical experience, watching colleagues test patients for infections that you could tell they did not have after talking to the patient, and coming up with false positive tests to…

There has been a whole lot of talk about change lately – nationally, locally, and even personally, change has been a common subject of conversation. Our national healthcare system is embarking on some of the most drastic changes in history. Lately, my Facebook page has been filled with endless posts of what may be considered…