Throughout my 21-year career in health care leadership and as a long-time Quad Citizen, I knew ImpactLife as a highly competent, reliable provider of blood components for communities across our region. Since becoming the blood center’s chief operating officer on July 1, I’m now seeing firsthand how the blood center works to advance medicine, and often in surprising ways.
With a relentless focus on the needs of patients for the past 50 years, ImpactLife serves health care providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin as well as leading national health care institutions. Our footprint allows us to focus on serving our local communities while also stepping up when needed across the country.
I have been fascinated to learn about the clinical science that allows for life changing cell therapy services. Patients with prostate cancer who are prescribed this treatment provide a blood donation which is then sent to a manufacturing facility to create their own personalized cancer treatment. To continue to advance medicine, ImpactLife now offers Leukopaks, which is derived from apheresis platelet donations that can be used for medical research.
ImpactLife also works with emergency medical service providers that now carry blood on board ground and air ambulances. Pre-hospital transfusion gives paramedics the opportunity to deliver a needed blood transfusion on the scene of a trauma or while the patient is being transferred to the hospital.
Every day, I see proof of a culture that is focused on collaboration and innovation to help improve patient outcomes. In the last few weeks, ImpactLife has provided lifesaving blood components following two different hurricanes and a ransomware event that impacted blood providers outside our region. Participating in national networks of blood centers puts immediate resources right where they are needed and ensures that we will have help in return if we ever need it.
The culture and mission of ImpactLife resonates deeply with me and allows me to continue to focus on serving our communities and patients during their most challenging times. I am proud to work for an organization that is focused on innovation and advancing medicine. I have learned a lot in the first six weeks and look forward to a bright future with the ImpactLife team.
Katie Marchik is the chief operating officer for ImpactLife. She can be reached at [email protected].
