If you’ve ever found yourself missing out on a new bit of Transfusion Medicine news, you might want to start using a tool that is becoming indispensable! Yes, it’s Twitter!

I’m honored to have four doctors that are killing it on Twitter join me for a “virtual round table” discussion about how to use the platform as a blood banker! These docs are among many leading the charge for using Twitter to keep up with new developments, instantly connect with a worldwide community, enjoy learning from a conference even when you can’t attend, and even have an impact far beyond you imagined!

About My Guests:

Dr. Jerad Gardner (@JMGardnerMD) received his MD from Tulane University in New Orleans, trained in AP/CP at Houston Methodist Hospital, and completed fellowships in bone/soft tissue pathology and dermatopathology at Emory University in Atlanta. He is currently an Assistant (soon to be Associate) Professor of Pathology and Dermatology at University of Arkansas for Medical Science. He is widely known as a leader in the use of social media in pathology, and serves as a deputy Editor-in-Chief for Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Dr. Justin Kreuter (@KreuterMD) completed his anatomic & clinical pathology residency at Dartmouth and transfusion medicine fellowship at Mayo Clinic. He is now on-staff at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Dr. Kreuter’s clinical responsibilities include the blood donor program and HLA laboratory. His research is focused on medical education and improving management of patients who are refractory to platelet transfusion.

Dr. Sandy Minck (@DrSandyMinck) is a Medical Officer with the Transfusion Policy and Education (TPE) team at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. She comes from a General Practice background and has a long history in medical education, both in Australia and overseas. Sandy is actively involved in the development of numerous educational materials, tools and resources. She is particularly interested in safe and appropriate transfusion practices, patient blood management and iron deficiency anaemia.

Dr. Kate Pendry (@KatePendry) is a consultant haematologist with NHS Blood and Transplant in a joint post with Central Manchester University Hospitals where she is clinical lead for transfusion (@cmftblood). In NHSBT, she is Clinical Director for Patient Blood Management, heading up a national team of colleagues to support the implementation of PBM in UK hospitals, delivery of education and training in Transfusion Medicine and the programme of national comparative audit in transfusion. Kate is Secretary of the National Blood Transfusion Committee in England, session organiser for BSH and BBTS Annual Conferences and Associate Editor of Transfusion Medicine with a remit to promote the journal content through use of social media.

Selected Twitter “follows”:

Other Resources:

• AABB: @AABB
• America’s Blood Centers: @AmericasBlood
• American Red Cross: @redcross
• Australian Red Cross Blood: @TransfusEd
• Canadian Society of Transfusion Medicine: @CanSocTransMed
• International Society for Blood Transfusion: @ISBTCO
• Network for the Advancement of Pt. Blood Management, Haemostasis, and Thrombosis: @NATAforum
• UK NHS Blood and Transplant: @NHSBT
• Ontario Regional Blood Coordinating Network: @ORBCoN1
• Transfusion Evidence Library: @TransfusionLib

Further Reading:

• Twitter.com
• Dr. Gardner’s Social Media Guide (NOT just for pathologists!)
• The Benefits of Twitter for Academics
• Why all Doctors Should be on Twitter