Focus on Quality:
LifeNet Health Celebrates Another National First: 25 Years of Continuous Accreditation by the American Association of Tissue Banks
 This year marks the 25th anniversary of LifeNet Health's accreditation by the organization that helped define the standard for tissue banking safety and quality worldwide. The American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) was established in 1976 as a scientific, not-for-profit, peer group association to ensure that human tissues intended for transplantation would be safe and free of infectious disease, of a uniform high quality and available in sufficient quantities to meet national needs. Today, the AATB is the only national tissue banking organization in the United States and counts more than 100 accredited tissue banks across the country as members. LifeNet Health first applied for AATB accreditation in 1986 and has been awarded accreditation every year since—the longest continuous accreditation in AATB history.
Since the beginning, the AATB's mission has been dedicated to improving health and saving lives on a national and even international level. The AATB's Standards for Tissue Banking, first published in 1984 and now in its 12th edition, outlines the standards for tissue bank accreditation and continues to serve as a model for state and federal regulations. More than 20 states now reference AATB accreditation and certification standards in statutes and regulations and at least six states have made AATB accreditation mandatory for any tissue bank operating in their state.
LifeNet Health's Kathy Pearson, CTBS, is a recognized author, speaker and industry advocate for tissue bank safety and quality and is currently serving as an officer on the AATB Board of Governors.
AATB-accredited tissue banks like LifeNet Health recover tissue from more than 30,000 donors and distribute over two million allografts every year. Of the estimated one million tissue transplants performed in the U.S. annually, the overwhelming majority use tissue from an AATB-accredited tissue bank.
Other pioneering AATB initiatives include the Certified Tissue Banking Specialist (CTBS) Program. Established in 1988, the program has created a nationwide network of nearly 4,000 certified, trained tissue bank specialists. Kathy Pearson was one of the first to be CTBS certified. As LifeNet Health's Vice President of Tissue Quality/Risk Management, Pearson supervises all of the organization's donor suitability and post-production review efforts and helps develop quality systems for tissue recovery, processing and related process control systems. She's a published authority and noted speaker on tissue banking safety and quality. Pearson and other LifeNet Health professionals, including Vice President of Cardiovascular Tissue Services Perry Lange, Vice President of Tissue Services Bud Brame, and Director of Scientific Affairs Mark Moore, play active roles in national tissue banking organizations and regularly serve on AATB committees, task forces and on the AATB Board of Governors in key leadership positions.
Says LifeNet Health President and CEO, Rony Thomas: "We're proud to be the AATB's longest, continuously accredited tissue bank and we're especially proud of our people and their consistent focus on safety and quality which helped make this achievement possible."
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