COLLABORATION BUILDS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR CONVALESCENT PLASMA DONATIONS

COLLABORATION BUILDS A COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR
CONVALESCENT PLASMA DONATIONS

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – May 8, 2020 — TriCore Reference Laboratories is proud to announce a collaboration with the Vitalant blood center and New Mexico hospital systems, Lovelace Health System, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, and University of New Mexico Health, to build a community resource of plasma donations from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.  This convalescent plasma can be used to treat New Mexico patients who are currently suffering from COVID-19 infection with the hope of improving outcomes.
Dr. Michael Crossey, CEO for TriCore Reference Laboratories, says, “TriCore is so proud to be part of this New Mexico collaboration.  All the participating institutions were eager to come to the table to benefit the community as a whole. This demonstrates our collective ability to come together and serve New Mexico, including the community citizens who are willing to donate and help others battling COVID.”
Dr. Liz Rosenbaum-Marinaro, Medical Director for Vitalant, the nation’s largest independent blood provider, comments, “One donor can save up to five lives.  This unique situation allows us to supply this convalescent plasma product back to the patients who need it the most all over the community, regardless of the hospital. TriCore is uniquely positioned to serve as the link in this collaboration given their reach, statewide presence, and their longstanding relationship with Vitalant and the hospital systems.” 
Through this collaboration, plasma from recovered donors identified through TriCore and collected at Vitalant has already been used to treat patients at Presbyterian Hospital. If you previously tested positive for COVID-19 infection, have been symptom-free for at least 28 days, and would like to find out more about donating your plasma, please email: plasmadonationCOVID19@tricore.org      
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About TriCore Reference Laboratories
TriCore Reference Laboratories is an independent, not-for-profit, clinical reference laboratory founded and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, co-sponsored by Presbyterian Healthcare Services and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. TriCore provides over 2,900, full-service, state-of-the-art laboratory tests to healthcare professionals and their patients. TriCore also provides analytics and research services, supporting healthcare and scientific organizations worldwide. TriCore’s Rhodes Group offers laboratory software and consulting services to optimize clinical laboratory operations, including empowering population health management and targeted intervention strategies. For more information, visit tricore.org.
About Vitalant
Vitalant (“Vye-TAL-ent”) is a national community blood service provider, supplying comprehensive transfusion medicine services for nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states. Vitalant inspires local communities to serve the needs of others and transform lives through the selfless act of donating blood. Every day, almost 5,000 blood donations are needed to meet the needs of people throughout the country, and Vitalant’s 800,000 donors supply 1.8 million donations a year. In addition to blood products, Vitalant offers customers transfusion services, medical consulting, quality guidance, ongoing education, research and more. For more information and to schedule a donation, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).