A compliance officer at a university-based donor center stated in a previous e-Network discussion (on documentaion of orders for autologous donation) that according to the JCAHO under the accreditation requirement QC5.1: Written policies and procedures for the blood bank service conform to the current edition of the AABB Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Service ... The compliance officer wanted to know if the network membership appreciated that according to QC5.1 of the JCAHO, that blood bank policies and procedures must conform to AABB Standards. The compliance officer believes that JCAHO is now requiring compliance with AABB Standards, much the same way that the State of California codifies the AABB Standards as law.

The Editor requested clarification from the AABB about the relationship between the JCAHO QC5.1 accreditation requirement and compliance with AABB Standards, and here is what Leane Ziebell, Director, Accreditation and Quality of the AABB had to say: "I was able to have a conversation with our contact at the Joint Commission who helped clarify the issue. Actually, both she and I were surprised by the words [of the compliance officer that] "JCAHO is NOW requiring compliance with AABB Standards..." as if to infer QC 5.1 is new.  As far back as she and I can both remember, QC 5.1 has required that JCAHO accredited facilities meet AABB Standards.  Therefore this Standard is not new at all. So, to respond to "what AABB thinks about this" - glad to see that QC 5.1 is being noticed. Additionally, I would suggest a question be posed to JCAHO, not the AABB, about the application and extent of enforcement of QC 5.1 by JCAHO surveyors".

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Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator