CHRISTUS St. Michael Atlanta Foundation donates funding for plasma thawer, cell washer

The CHRISTUS St. Michael Atlanta Foundation recently donated $12,450 for the purchase of two new pieces of state-of-the-art equipment for the CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital-Atlanta Lab. Utilized in the Blood Bank, the Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) Thawer and a Cell Washer are replacement equipment for the previous FFP Thawer process and Cell Washer.

The FFP Thawer rapidly thaws plasma, stored at sub-zero temperatures, for transfusions, and the Cell Washer expedites the blood typing and cross-matching processes for patients, according to Patricia Basurto, MT, Lab Supervisor.

“FFP contains clotting factors to assist in reducing bleeding risks due to clotting factor deficiencies,” said Basurto. “Most recently, the FFP Thawer is also used in the convalescent plasma process, where plasma is collected from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 and then can be administered to appropriate patients critically ill with COVID-19.”

“In addition, the FFP Thawer benefits the CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital-Atlanta Trauma Program at our hospital, specifically in the case where Massive Transfusion Protocol (MTP) is needed,” said Heather Biddy, BSN, RN, VA-BC, RN Program Manager –

Trauma/Stroke/Chest Pain. “The new equipment expedites the preparation process for plasma when MTP is implemented to stop life-threatening hemorrhaging (massive blood loss) due to trauma.”

“Once again, we are very grateful to the Foundation for their generous gift and continuous support of CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital-Atlanta and our mission in Cass County and the surrounding area,” said Brett Kinman, Administrator. “Many people in our community benefit from the hospital’s ability to purchase new equipment such as the FFP Thawer and the Cell Washer, allowing us to provided cutting-edge care for area residents.”

“The CHRISTUS St. Michael Atlanta Foundation’s goal is to be a strong partner in the delivery of excellent health care for our families, friends, neighbors and all who need health services,” said Melissa Kimble, Development Coordinator. “We are always excited to see how the Foundation’s efforts make such a difference in the provision of advanced health care for our community.”