Effective management of any documentation is a critical focus for anyone in the Blood Industry. Because of the consumer health issues that can result from contaminated blood, the FDA puts tremendous pressure on blood centers to manage all aspects of blood collection and distribution, including the management of training, training records and certifications. Prior to Pilgrim, FBS created SOPs in MS Word. They were posted on their Intranet where employees would access them online or use printed versions. Approval and review of SOPs and other documents were all manual processes. This system created a number of problems including long cycle-times for document review and approval and the availability of uncontrolled copies of documents and SOPs. The records for training on the SOPs were not adequate.  

FBS will implement Pilgrim Software's SmartTrain application, built on the Microsoft .net platform, to support continuous improvement and regulatory compliance. The application alleviates the awkwardness and unreliability of a manual system. Past trainings and certification history will be available to assure that employees are well-matched and qualified for the job they are assigned. Anticipated training is easily scheduled to assure everyone is brought up to date on the organization's SOPs. FBS' management team gains in-depth visibility and are confident their employees will perform within FDA regulations.

"We are pleased that Florida Blood Services added SmartTrain and its Validation Pack to their SmartSolve suite," states Ami Utji, President and CEO of Pilgrim Software. "The Blood industry is so tightly regulated for the public's safety and it's imperative in any regulated organization for the employees to remain updated on SOPs. With SmartTrain, training strategies are built-in and engage the right mix of personnel, develop employees' skills and increase worker effectiveness. SmartTrain will manage quality and compliance across their entire business."

About Florida Blood Services
Florida Blood Services is based in St. Petersburg, FL. In the Tampa Bay area, 34 hospitals and 80 ambulatory care centers count on Florida Blood Services for whole blood, blood products and services. FBS must collect more than 650 pints of blood every day, just to meet the needs of Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. FBS is also a vital testing resource for 30 East Coast blood centers and medical facilities from Maine to Puerto Rico. FBS subjects every blood sample sent them - as well as all those they collect - to more than 12 hours of screening and confirmatory testing before making it available to patients. FBS also honors its commitment to transfusion medicine leadership by contributing to advances in education, research and training. For more information about Florida Blood Services, visit their website at http://www.fbsblood.org.

About Pilgrim Software, Inc.
Pilgrim Software, Inc. is the leading provider of Enterprise Compliance and Quality Management solutions for global organizations. Pilgrim helps organizations manage industry and regulatory compliance, reduce manufacturing costs and improve customer satisfaction. By providing live connections to multiple sites, suppliers and customers, Pilgrim enables organizations to centrally manage all of their worldwide compliance efforts and quality operations - providing real-time visibility tied to fast action. The results are a lean, performance-driven enterprise that can respond to change with speed and power. For more information, visit Pilgrim Software's Web site at www.pilgrimsoftware.com.