A needs assessment and instrument comparison for a therapeutic apheresis medicine service

This article outlines a needs assessment process for developing or updating a therapeutic apheresis medicine (TAM) service. The TAM service brings together administrative, medical, laboratory, and pharmacy services. As these services jointly respond to needs assessment questions, the TAM service evolves. Discussions identifying patient populations impact the types of procedures to be offered and subsequent instrument choices. This article will also review and compare current TAM devices using centrifugation-based or column-based methods for treatments. The TAM service is unique in regard to both the multiservice involvement and spectrum of patients served.