[The German interdisciplinary taskforce for clinical hemotherapy IAKH and its national critical incident reporting...

The German interdisciplinary task force for clinical hemotherapy (IAKH) is an independent association of clinicians. It aims for the improvement of blood transfusion application processes, procedures and safety in the absence of a German hemovigilance system. Whereas the producers of blood products concentrate on product safety, the IAKH focuses on administrative needs such as forms and regulations associated with the administration of blood products. It provides information about coagulation disorders, autologous blood donation and cell saving as well as techniques that reduce the amount of allogeneic transfusion needs. Benefits of a membership in IAKH are electronic and individual recommendations to clinical hemotherapy issues, an exchange forum, as well as low cost participation at conventions and meetings. Just recently, a critical incident reporting system for errors in blood transfusion and hemotherapy was launched (www.iakh.de/ BeinaheFehlerErfassung/). The entries reported are analyzed, feedback and recommendations are given. Everybody in contact with the administration of blood products is asked to report errors and critical incidents.