Atlanta, GA — When a patient needs blood, minutes matter. So does information.
The Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN) and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers have launched a first-of-its-kind statewide integration that connects LifeSouth’s RBC antigen and antibody data directly into Georgia’s health information exchange (HIE).
For the first time, critical blood and antibody information can move with the patient across hospitals, emergency rooms, and care settings statewide. This strengthens transfusion safety, accelerates emergency response, and improves care for patients who rely on frequent transfusions, including those living with sickle cell disease.
According to Dr. Denise Hines, Executive Director of GaHIN, “We recognized an opportunity to connect transfusion relevant data in a way that supports whole-person care, eases the burden on clinicians, and improves outcomes for patients across Georgia, and with GaHIN’s trusted infrastructure and experienced team, we turned that opportunity into a reliable reality.”
Why This Changes Care in Georgia
Blood transfusions do not happen in isolation. Patients often receive care across multiple hospitals, health systems, and emergency settings. Until now, their RBC antibody histories from blood centers did not travel with them to the hospitals in which they were cared for.
That gap can be dangerous. Missing antibody information increases the risk of mismatched transfusions and potentially life-threatening hemolytic reactions. “RBC antibodies can be sneaky; more often than not, they disappear below the level of detection and so testing just prior to transfusion doesn’t reveal their presence. Knowing a patient’s RBC antibody history is critical, not only for transfusion safety but also for the safety of fetuses of alloimmunized mothers,” said Jeanne Hendrickson, MD, a transfusion medicine physician at Emory Healthcare. “What GAHIN and LifeSouth have been able to accomplish together is truly incredible.”
By integrating LifeSouth’s transfusion and antibody data into GaHIN, Georgia has closed that gap. A secure statewide pathway now ensures the right information reaches the right clinician at the right moment.
"For decades, the inability to seamlessly access a patient's transfusion and antibody history across different care locations has been a critical gap in healthcare. We are proud to launch this first-of-its-kind partnership to finally bridge that divide. By exchanging data between blood centers and healthcare systems, we are immediately enhancing the speed, quality, and safety of patient care—setting a new standard that we hope will inspire similar advancements nationwide," said Dr. Chris Lough, MD, Vice President of Medical Services for LifeSouth.
What This Partnership Delivers
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Safer transfusions with real-time access to RBC alloantibody histories at the point of care
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Seamless continuity of care using longitudinal transfusion records that follow patients across facilities
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Reduced risk of hemolytic transfusion reactions statewide
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Stronger health equity, particularly for patients with sickle cell disease who receive care across multiple, unconnected systems
This integration does not just connect systems. It connects care. And in moments when seconds count, that connection can save lives.