August at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
In memory of her vast contributions to the company and specifically the Academy, Grifols has dedicated a corner of the Academy patio to our dear friend, mentor and colleague Lynn.
July at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
June at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
Classes at the Academy continued with an Advanced PCS2 Repair course. Participants attended the three-day, twenty four hour session which was instructed by a representative of Haemonetics Corporation. A two day Technical Writing session was also offered during the month with participants in attendance from Biomat, USA, PlasmaCare, and the Austin Lab.
Along with the course offerings, the Academy enjoyed hosting several facility tours to participants attending the 2011 National Patient Conference of the Immune Deficiency Foundation - Celebrating 30 Years of Advocacy, Education & Research, which was held in Phoenix, AZ.
May at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
A tour of the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis and the Glendale Plasma Donation Center was provided to two Spanish Representatives of AEMPS during their recent May inspection tour. The Academy Manager provided an overview of the academic programs and collaborative programs offered through the CA State Board of Nursing and the University of Phoenix. The Manager of the Supplier Validation Dept in Biomat Barcelona co-hosted the tour. The visitors also enjoyed viewing the replica of the Grifols Museum that is housed within the Academy.
April at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
The Academy reached another milestone in April for participant enrollment in ELearning classes on Campus Grifols. We currently have the following Elearning classes available: The Cost of Poor Quality, Introduction to Immunology, Physical Exam, Advanced cGMPs, EMA Inspections: Preparing and Hosting, and Cardiovascular Physiology 1.
Like onsite Academy classes, Campus Grifols Elearning classes qualify for University of Phoenix credits, and many also qualify for Continuing Education Unit credits through the California Board of Registered Nursing for qualified participants.
March at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
During the month of March the Academy welcomed participants to the Introduction to Grifols course. This two day course provided newly hired or promoted quality, operations, and training staff from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare centers and the Austin lab the opportunity to learn about the company's rich history, products, and leadership expectations. This course will be offered again in December of this year.
The first of two sessions of the 2010 Medical course was offered in March. The 22-hour course was attended by medical staff members from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare centers. Continuing Education hours were earned by nurses who participated in the course. This course will be offered again in September of this year.
February at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
The Grifols Academy started off the month of February by hosting the 2009 Quality Assurance course. Quality staff members from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare participated in the 2-day course.
The Quality/Operations course was also hosted in February. Participants included staff members from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare, representing a combination of both Quality and Management personnel.
The Academy finished the month with the Advanced Autopheresis Machine Repair, instructed by Haemonetics Corporation. Participants completed the 24 hour training course which will be offered again in May, June, and December, and will be open to PCS2 certified phlebotomists.
January at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
The Academy began the 2011 academic year in January by welcoming staff members from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare to the Advanced Management course, from the 2009 curriculum. The 2009 Medical course was also offered in January to participants, Continuing Education hours were earned by nurses who completed this course. The Academy will continue to offer courses from the 2009 and 2010 curriculum in February.
This year the Academy will enhance eLearning courses, specifically medical development of materials through online e-learning classes.
2010 at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
It was another eventful year in 2010 at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis. Over 700 guests were welcomed to one of the 50 events that took place throughout the year. These events included Academy courses, departmental re-certification meetings and training sessions, workshops, and other industry related meetings.
Over 400 participants were awarded certificates of completion for course work at the Academy; a total of 1,336 Continuing Education hours were offered throughout the 2010 year.
The Academy was also pleased to announce the implementation of Campus Grifols website for e-Learning classes. Online classes have allowed the opportunity for more class participation with the current enrollment of 250 associates. The Academy launched four e-learning classes, Advanced cGMPs, Cost of Poor Quality, Introduction to Immunology, and Physical Exam. The expansion of medical classes to an on-line format will enhance the opportunity for our medical staff to gain the CE credits to meet licensure requirements.
The Academy also developed new strategies for evaluating and analyzing educational materials and delivery methodologies. Key concepts highlighting the class core content were provided to each participant helping to reinforce the education received as well as to share the information with their colleagues.
December at the Grifols Academy
The Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis welcomed 18 newly hired or promoted leadership staff members to the fourth Introduction to Grifols course offering on December 14 – 15, 2010. Participants represented center management, quality, and training personnel from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare.
The course provided instruction on the history, vision and values of Grifols, the structure of the Grifols organization, ethical leadership, customer service, coaching, donor center public relations, the plasma supply chain, and plasma derived products. In addition to the training, participants had the opportunity to hear from a product recipient, as well as distinguished company leaders, including the Associate Director of Human Resources – Head of Staffing and Benefits, Grifols, Inc. The Academy will continue to offer the Introduction to Grifols course to new leaders within the company.
Also during the month of December, the Academy staff and the Glendale Donor Center staff had the pleasure of meeting with a patient advocate from FFF Enterprises for a tour of the Academy and the donation facility. During her visit, the patient advocate had the opportunity to review the Academy Studies Catalogue. She was impressed by the extensive educational program, facilities, available space, and the staff of the Glendale Donation Center as well having the opportunity to interact with the donors.
Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis will Launch 2011 Academic Year in January
The Academy is anticipating another exciting and busy year beginning in January 2011 with a full schedule of curricula.
Throughout the year there will be more than 500 participants attending 26 sessions, seminars and workshops comprised of 83 classes totaling 10,370 educational hours. Courses are available to all levels of the organization and are structured to help participants develop skills that will enable them to effectively meet the demands and challenges that are faced in today's changing industry. In addition more eLearning courses will be available through 2011.
Information pertaining to the 2011 Academic Curriculum is posted on PORTAL under "Services" and is available to all Grifols employees.
The Academy looks forward to continuing to offer courses that address the various writing requirements throughout the company.
November at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
The Grifols Academy held its fourth and final 2010 offering of the Quality/Operations course in November. The training provided participants with an in-depth look at the functions of various departments within the Grifols companies and a variety of tools for quality and operational improvement. This course will be offered again during the 2011 academic year.
The Academy also welcomed participants for the Technical Writing course this month. The course provided a comprehensive approach to the process of writing effective technical documents. The Academy looks forward to continuing to offer courses that address the various writing requirements throughout the company.
Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis Establishes an Academic Alliance with the University of Phoenix
In 2010 the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis submitted its educational programs to the University of Phoenix and as part of an Articulation assessment, the University is now offering accreditation for courses successfully completed through the Grifols Academy of Plasmaphersis.
The University of Phoenix has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1978; recognized by the United Stated Department of Education and the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation. They are a member of the North Central Association (NCA) with more than 190 locations throughout the United States.
Participants who pursue an education through the U of P are eligible to apply their relevant learning experiences and accomplishments from attending the Grifols Academy of Plasmaphersis toward college credits when applying for the “Prior Learning Assessment” (PLA) program.
In addition, these elective and general education credit requirements may be earned at a reduced fee in comparison to tuition and allow the completion of a degree program in a shorter amount of time.
Contact the University of Phoenix or the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis today for more information about the Prior Learning Assessment Program.
October at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
The ASQ Certfied Quality Analyst course was attended by twenty associates from the Quality and Compliance Departments. This course was offered as a preparatory step for the certification examination.
The month concluded with the third offering of the 2010 Medical course. Over 300 hours of CEU credits were earned by participating nurses. This three-day course will be offered again during the 2011 academic year.
September at the Grifols Academy
The Grifols Academy welcomed Quality and Operations staff members for the third offering of the 2010 Quality/Operations course in September.
The 24-hour course included 11 classes instructed by subject matter experts within the company. The final 2010 offering of the Quality/Operations course will be held in November.
August at the Grifols Academy
In August the Grifols Academy welcomed to the second offering of the Quality/Operations course. The three-day course included 11 different classes instructed by subject matter experts.
These leadership classes will be offered again in September and November.
The Academy also hosted the two-day, Intermediate Excel seminar in August. We look forward to offering this course again next year.
July at the Grifols Academy
The Academy welcomed participants, representing Compliance, Quality, and Operations to the Biostatistics course in July. Participants in this year’s Biostatistics course, along with participants in the 2009 Biostatistics course, will have the opportunity to attend the ASQ Certified Quality Process Analyst training at the Academy in October.
The Academy also hosted the Quality Seminar in July. The seminar included instruction from Compliance and Training Areas and incorporated eight hours of hands-on audit at the Arizona local plasma centers. We look forward to offering the course again in the 2011 curriculum.
June at the Grifols Academy
The Academy welcomed medical staff members from for the second offering of the 2010 Medical Course. Continuing Education Certificates were earned by the nurses who participated in the course. This course will be offered again in October of this year. Also in June, the Grifols Academy hosted the final Advanced PCS2 Machine Repair course offering for 2010. Participants were provided instruction by Field Experts of Haemonetics. We look forward to offering this course again during the 2011 academic year.
May at the Grifols Academy
The first offering for the 2010 Medical Course took place at the Grifols Academy with medical staff members from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare participated in the 22-hour course. Classes in the course included Application of the Biology and Testing of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections to the Plasma Industry, Additional Bio-Diseases, Bleeding Disorders and Treatments, Cardiovascular Physiology II, Donor Suitability II, From Collected Plasma to Medications, Hepatitis, Immunoglobulins and Albumin, Medical Ethics II, Medical Interview, and Proper Documentation for Medical Personnel. The instructors for the course included subject matter experts coordinated by the Corporate Medical Director. Continuing education hours were issued to the nurses that attended the course. This course will be offered again in June and October of this year.
February at the Grifols Academy
The Grifols Academy welcomed Quality Personnel participants from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare to the 2009 Quality Assurance course, in February. The course included Advanced cGMP, Cost of Poor Quality, Internal Quality Audits, Quality Principles, and Validation Principles classes, which were instructed by subject experts from Biomat USA and PlasmaCare.
January at the Grifols Academy
The Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis started the 2010 year off with a very busy January. The month started off with repeated course offerings from the 2009 curriculum, and with additional events including a workshop and patient group advocacy meeting.
January Courses
The combined Advanced Management I, and II course and the Medical course from 2009 were offered to more than 60 members of management and medical personnel from Biomat and PlasmaCare, who had not previously attended the courses. More than 500 CEU hours were earned by participants in the Medical course.
Physician’s Workshop
Scientific Affairs, Grifols, Inc. hosted in January its second physicians’ workshop at the Academy. The workshop on “Hemophilia A inhibitor Development and Management” included a small group of opinion leaders in the field of hemophilia. Guests were invited to share their clinical experiences in the treatment of their patients. A substantial part of the workshop was dedicated to reviewing the present safety of coagulation factors and clinical study SIPPET.
Arizona Hemophilia Association Advocacy Training
On January, the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis hosted the Advocacy Training Program for the Arizona Hemophilia Association. Approximately 15 people from the bleeding disorders community attended the three-hour training lead Grifols Government and Public Affairs Manager. The purpose of the training was to update the Arizona bleeding disorders community on policy issues at the federal and state level that could affect their access to health insurance coverage and product choice to treat their bleeding disorders
Grifols Academy Concludes First Year
Since its Grand Opening on January 28, 2009, the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis has welcomed over 800 associates from within the Grifols companies for departmental trainings, annual recertifications, educational development, and industry related meetings. Over 500 of the participants attending courses were members of Operations, Quality, Medical, and Training departments. Instructional sessions included Advanced Management, Introduction to Grifols, Medical Personnel, Quality Assurance, Biostatistics, Business Writing, Computer Skills, and Technical Writing seminars. Human Resources and Advanced Autopheresis Repair classes were also hosted throughout the year by the Academy.
The Academy also met two of its major goals: receiving its CEU provider license for nurses through the California Board of Registered Nurses, and gaining membership in the American Society of Quality. Since October 2009, over 300 hours of Continuing Education Units have been earned by Grifols medical staff.
The Academy will continue to offer educational opportunities and host functions for the Grifols companies at its Glendale location, and through the development of on-line courses which will be offered through our Grifols Campus website during the 2010 year.
Through everyone’s enthusiastic participation, it has been a very successful and exciting year for the Academy.
Biomat USA Annual Recertification Training Meeting
December 1st through December 3rd the Grifols Academy welcomed 30 participants from Biomat’s Central Division to attend their 2009 Annual Recertification Meeting. Participants included Biomat management in the fields of Operations, Quality, and Compliance. The course was instructed by Rene Ramirez and was very interactive, featuring numerous group activities and discussions, a year-end review, and a look ahead to next year.
The class was visited by many executives, some of whom gave presentations. CEO Shinji Wada congratulated the group on a successful 2009 and offered insight on the direction and plans for Biomat USA in 2010. Dr. Rosa Bray and Bob Booker spoke on health and safety procedures, while Emily Bolger and Rebecca Clinton addressed quality and compliance issues. Shane Stremming provided an update on the future uses of automated plasmapheresis equipment which also included a spirited game of Jeopardy.
The Academy looks forward to hosting more activities for our employees in the Grifols Companies in the future.
November Sessions at the Academy
In early November, the Academy welcomed back Carlos Eton, of the Grifols Inc. Training Department, for another Computer Skills training session. Ten staff members of Biomat USA, including Training Coordinators, Quality and Operations Supervisors, and Facility Managers, took part in the Intermediate Excel training. The two day session covered fundamental formulas and functions, list management, formatting content, and charting in Excel.
The Academy also hosted a Business Writing Seminar this November. The seminar included 14 staff members from Quality, Compliance, Operations, and Training departments within Biomat USA. The two day session was instructed by Sean Doran, Technical Writer for the Austin Lab and provided a broad overview of business communications while focusing on various concepts of grammar and writing of proposals, reports, meeting minutes, and presentations. Sean will return to the Academy in December to instruct the Technical Writing seminar, which will cover composing and editing letters, audit responses, evaluation forms, SOPs, protocols, and specifications.
Biostatistics seminar offered at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis
The Grifols Academy welcomed 12 participants for training in Biostatistics in October of 2009. Participants included Biomat management in the fields of Operation, Quality, and Compliance. The course was instructed by Frank Bray and provided participants with a background in Biostatistics and training in the areas of problem analysis, solution planning, data collection, charting, and quality improvement. The seminar also included tests and exercises that were executed throughout the course to practice the tools provided. The Academy will offer this course again during the 2010 curriculum year.
Academy Memberships and Accreditations
The Academy is pleased to announce its membership with the ASQ foundation, American Society for Quality, as of September 29, 2009. As a member of ASQ, we will have the opportunity to provide participants with additional quality improvement tools, including ASQ training, resources, exams, and certification.
We are also excited to announce that as of October 1, 2009, we became an Approved Provider, under the California Board of Registered Nurses, for Continuing Education Programs. This will allow the Academy to provide continuing education contact hours to participants having their nursing license, who successfully complete the courses.
August Courses at the Academy: Medical Personnel Training and Computer Skills Courses
The Grifols Academy held its first session of Medical Personnel Training. This session was strategically coordinated by the Biomat Corporate Medical Director. Participants included medical staff members from Biomat, PlasmaCare, and PCCI. The course included Adverse Reactions, Donor Suitability, Ethics for Medical Staff, Introduction to Immunology, Introduction to the Physiology of Plasmapheresis, Physical Exams, and Plasma Products Today and in the Future classes. We look forward to offering this course again in October of this year. The Academy also welcomed members of Biomat staff from various departments within the company for a Computer Skills course. The class provided instruction in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word programs. The intermediate level course on the subject matter will be offered in November of this year.
Academy Hosts Local Hemophilia Chapter
In keeping with its broad educational mission, the Academy recently hosted representatives from the Phoenix-based Arizona Hemophilia Association. The informative presentation and tour of the Glendale donor center was done in conjunction with the Association’s annual meeting. Participants were guided through an in-depth tour of the many donor health and plasma quality safeguards during the donation process and were provided overview of Grifols and current industry standards. Patient representatives from the Arizona Hemophilia Association expressed their genuine appreciation for the tour and were favorably impressed by both facilities and the many safeguards in place for plasma donation.
Grifols Academy hosts Quality Assurance Course
This month the Academy welcomed over 30 Biomat USA , PlasmaCare, and PCCI Quality personnel to participate in the Quality Assurance for Quality Personnel session. The course included Advanced cGMP, the Cost of Poor Quality, Internal Quality Audits, Quality Principles, and Validation Principles classes. This concludes the Quality Personnel core courses for the 2009 year, although some quality specific seminars will be conducted this year. We look forward to offering the same Quality Personnel courses again next year with additional new sessions on root-cause analysis, laboratory testing, EMEA preparation and change control.
Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis Concludes First Semester
The Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis, which opened in January of this year, has become the central location for advanced training within the company. Over 400 associates from various Grifols Companies throughout the United States have visited for the development of educational tools, inter-company meetings and Grifols course offerings. Of these participants, 250 were enrolled in various courses, which included Advanced Management, Quality Assurance, and an Introduction to Grifols courses. Several TEAM leadership training sessions and Advanced Autopheresis Machine Repair course were also held at the facility. We look forward to a more challenging second semester, during which we will be adding courses in the areas of Medical Supervision, Biostatistics, Technical Writing and Computer Skills.
Activities at the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis in March 2009
In March, the Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis welcomed participants to an Advanced Plasmapheresis Machine Repair course. The Academy also welcomed Quality Personnel to participate in a Quality Assurance course, which included classes in the areas of Validation, Advanced cGMP, Quality Principles, Auditing and the Cost of Poor Quality. The Academy looks forward to offering these classes again in the near future.
Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis Grand Opening and Upcoming Events
The Grifols Academy of Plasmapheresis celebrated its Grand Opening with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on January 28, 2009. Joining Mr. Victor Grifols in the event was the Spanish Ambassador, Mr. Jorge Descallar, guests from the Spanish and Catalonian Health Authorities, elected Officials, members of the PPTA, Patients Associations, and Grifols management.
Nearly 80 students have achieved Advanced Management certification. Classes included Management Philosophy, Leadership, Ethics, Immunology and Physiology of Plasmapheresis.
The next Academy course offering on March 30 will be Quality Assurance for quality personnel. This course encompasses Quality Principles, Process and System Analysis, Auditing Methodology, and Advanced cGMPs. A technical course will also be offered in Plasmapheresis Advanced Autopheresis Equipment Repair.
Grifols continues to enhance and standardize the education of our employees in the fundamentals of quality, ethics, skills, and knowledge that uphold the Grifols values