Page 7 - Lions Gift of Sight Today

Employee Spotlight: Quality Systems
Lions Gift of Sight demonstrates quality at all levels throughout its organization in order to provide high-caliber eye tissue for transplant, research, and medical education. The team that supports the eye bank every step of the way in its commitment to excellence is the Quality Systems Team. So, in this issue, we would like to highlight not an individual but instead this talented team, critical to our eye bank’s success.
Of necessity, Quality Systems has fingers in every pie and assists in the areas of compliance, technical training, policies and procedures, and data.
Compliance
Lions Gift of Sight participates in a rigorous examination and peer review process as a part of the Eye Bank Association America (EBAA) accredita- tion program. EBAA (Safety First, Innovation Always!) accreditation is the gold standard for eye banking and is recognized by the FDA, CDC, and other federal agencies. Quality is the front line for our accreditation, and Lions Gift of Sight has continuously received the highest level of accredita- tion from the EBAA in all areas: recovery, storage, tissue evaluation, donor eligibility determination, processing, and final distribution.
Quality also makes sure that the eye bank stands ready to be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration at any time. The FDA has performed routine inspections of Lions Gift of Sight many times and has never issued Inspectional Observations or Warning Letters to LGS.
Policies, Procedures, and Training
A regulated profession such as eye banking must have policies and
procedures that protect the safety of its workers, the safety of its partner
surgeons and researchers, and the safety of eye tissue transplant recipients.
Every policy and accompanying procedure is examined for accuracy, best
practices, and its effect on all persons involved. The buck stops at the door
of the Quality Systems Team, who assumes ultimate responsibility for the
eye bank’s compliance and success. The team also audits all aspects of operations and equipment systems on a routine basis. They ensure that personnel receive the training needed for particular tasks and are certified, if needed.
Data Management
A subset of Quality Systems is the Data team. Lions Gift of Sight puts data at the center of conversations, collaborations, and decision-making. Our data assists us in tracking performance and the progress of our processes and outcomes. Our data helps hospitals comply with CMS guidelines. Our data drives best practices that impact outcomes in donation. Strong data leads to innovations, resilience, and transformation!
We value our Quality Systems Team, and support them as they support us.
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Wallis Brooks
Quality Systems Manager
Amber Benbow
Business Analyst
Angie Edwards
Quality Systems Coordinator
Christina Rice
Quality Systems Coordinator