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Transfusion Medicine – ORBCON

Technology Improvements, Evolving Practice, Mitigating Threats: Update on Canada’s Blood Supply

Saturday, September 21, 1215-1315

Robert C. Skeate, Associate Medical Director, Education and Special Projects,
Canadian Blood Services

At the end of the session, the participants will be able to:

  • Summarize how Canada’s blood supply is structured
  • Describe how changing practice patterns are impacting blood product utilization
  • Detail how planned and recently implemented improvements will impact system safety and efficiency

The objective of the presentation is to enable attendees to be capable of describing how the blood system in Canada is structured and funded, how practice patterns are impacting blood product mix and use patterns, and what impacts recently / soon to be implemented technology improvements will have on blood safety and system efficiency. The session will be of value to pathologists, pathology trainees, and medical laboratory technologists.

Dr. Skeate completed his medical degree, Clinical Pathology residency, and Transfusion Medicine subspecialty fellowship at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He was on staff with the American Red Cross blood center in St. Paul, and cross appointed at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology’s Division of Transfusion Medicine until 2009 when he moved to Toronto. He joined Canadian Blood Services and has held several positions with the organization with his work focussed on blood product and donor safety, transfusion medicine education, and restructuring of medical services delivery. He is now Associate Medical Director for Education and Special Projects, serves as the director of the Canadian Blood Services portion of the Transfusion Medicine training programs in Canada, is a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Transfusion Medicine subspecialty training committee, an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, and active participant in the QUEST research group which investigates strategies to improve blood safety and optimize blood product utilization.

This is a sponsored talk brought to you by ORBCON and is an unaccreditted educational event.