OVERVIEW

The Therapeutic Apheresis Academy is a multidisciplinary 2½ day course for physicians in nephrology, hematology, pathology/blood banking, and other allied health professionals with an interest in therapeutic apheresis. This conference will build upon previously established interprofessional learning using modern learning techniques. The main sessions will present an overview of current practice and information on building a new therapeutic apheresis service. The demonstration workshops will showcase clinical applications and provide an opportunity to glean practical tips from expert practitioners. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this educational activity, learners will be able to:

• Recognize indications for Apheresis Treatment.
• Apply evidence-based medicine to make decisions in the realm of Apheresis Medicine.
• Identify practices that will decrease complications during Apheresis Treatment.
• Describe advances and changing patterns in Apheresis treatment modalities.
• Explain how Apheresis may be applied within diverse medical fields.
• Compare the different approaches to therapeutic apheresis along with the benefits and risk for each approach.
• List the different modalities of Therapeutic Apheresis Treatments.
• State the differences between centrifugal technologies and filtration technologies in TA.
• Recognize and use the categories (I-IV) that form indications for TA as written in the American Society for Apheresis International guidelines.
• List the indications for Extracorporeal Photopheresis.
• List the indications for Lipoprotein Apheresis.
• Apply clinical and administrative knowledge necessary to set up and maintain a Therapeutic Apheresis Service.
• Describe the attributes of varying types of Apheresis equipment.
• Understand and compare the duties of each member of the Therapeutic Apheresis team in hospital-based versus traveling units

At the end of the laboratory experience, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish and differentiate procedures performed by several classes of therapeutic apheresis instrument modalities: (a) centrifugation, (b) column (filtration) and (c) centrifugation + irradiation.
• Elucidate patient information required for procedures performed on each class of instrument.
• Describe the vascular access options and requirements as these relate to patient, procedure and instrument.
• Describe the blood pathway from access through processing and returning to the patient for the various procedures and instruments.
• Identify instrument parameters which can be adjusted

ACCREDITATION

The University of Virginia School of Medicine and School of Nursing designates this live activity for a maximum of 15.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.™ Days 1 and 2 are worth 12.5 credits and the additional workshop is worth 3 credits. Physicians should claim only the credits commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

For more information please visit the official event page.