News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 30, 2012
MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Poyant
Public Information Officer
Southcoast Health System
Office: 508-961-5280
Cell: 774-634-1460
Fax: 508-961-5876
Pager: 508-387-2532
poyants@southcoast.org
www.southcoast.org/news/releases/
Southcoast Blood Bank earns national blood bank re-accreditation
The AABB Accreditation is given to high performing blood banks and labs across the
country
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The Southcoast™ Blood Bank, part of Southcoast Health
System, has been granted AABB re-accreditation. The re-accreditation follows an intense on-site
assessment by specially trained AABB assessors and establishes that the level of technical and
administrative performance within the facility meets or exceeds the standards set by AABB.
“The AABB’s accreditation procedures are voluntary,” said John Laverty, MD, Medical
Director of the Southcoast Blood Bank. “The Southcoast Blood Bank has sought AABB
accreditation because this program assists facilities around the world in achieving excellence by
promoting a level of professional and technical expertise that contributes to quality performance
and patiently safety.”
AABB’s accreditation program contributes to the quality and safety of collecting,
processing, testing, distributing and administering blood and cellular therapy products. The
accreditation program assesses the quality and operational systems in place within a facility. The
basis for assessment is compliance with AABB standards, Code of Federal Regulation and other
federal guidance documents.
The AABB accreditation program has been recognized by the International Society for
Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). In June 1995, AABB was granted “deemed status” as an
accrediting organization under the clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA
’88) program. This granting of “deemed status” indicates that the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid (CMS) has found the AABB accreditation process to provide reasonable assurance that
the facilities accredited by it meet or exceed the conditions required by federal law and
regulations.
About the Southcoast Blood Bank
To keep the local community blood supply strong, the Southcoast Blood Bank must
collect more than 16,000 pints of blood a year. Currently through local donor programs, the
Southcoast Blood Bank collects 6,500 pints a year, which is less than half of the blood needed to
supply Southcoast Hospitals and the Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care. The remainder of the
blood is purchased from external sources and therefore dependent on the national blood supply.
The Southcoast Blood Bank provides blood for emergencies, for patients with cancer and other
serious illnesses and for patients having surgery.
Giving locally makes a difference.
When you give a single pint of blood to the Southcoast Blood Bank, you are saving a life
and investing in your community. The Southcoast Blood Bank is the only local blood donor
program that directly supports the communities of the South Coast region. Because every pint
that’s donated to the Southcoast Blood Bank stays right here at Southcoast Hospitals, you could
be saving a neighbor’s life.
The Southcoast Blood Bank: The Southcoast Blood Bank is located at St. Luke’s
Hospital, 101 Page Street, New Bedford, off the main lobby. Walk-ins are welcome Monday
through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 to
2:30 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment call 508-961-5320. More information
is available online at www.southcoast.org/bloodbank/.
Community Blood Drives: Southcoast hosts blood drives throughout the region on the
Southcoast Health Van and at local businesses. To schedule a free blood drive, please call
Catherine Alegria at 508-993-0430 or by email at alegriac@southcoast.org.
The schedule is updated monthly and can be found online at www.southcoast.org/van/ or
by calling 508-961-5320.
About AABB
Established in 1947, AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood
Banks) is an international, not-for-profit association dedicated to the advancement of science and
the practice of transfusion medicine and related biological therapies. The association is
committed to improving health and educational programs and services to optimize patient and
donor care and safety.
About Southcoast Health System & Southcoast Hospitals Group
Southcoast Health System is a community based health delivery system with multiple
access points, offering an integrated continuum of health services throughout Southeastern
Massachusetts and East Bay, Rhode Island. It includes the three hospitals that make up
Southcoast Hospitals Group — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in
New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.
Southcoast provides advanced clinical services, such as open heart surgery, angioplasty
and heart rhythm services, comprehensive cancer care, neurosurgery, weight loss surgery,
orthopedic surgery, advanced imaging services and is the only provider of maternity services in
the region.
Southcoast is a not-for-profit charitable organization that depends on the support of the
community to provide services. More information is available online at
www.southcoast.org. Connect to Southcoast through social media
at www.southcoast.org/connect/.
Southcoast™ is a trademark of Southcoast Health System Inc.
###