Transfusion Transmitted Injuries Surveillance System (TTISS)

The Transfusion Transmitted Injuries Surveillance System (TTISS) is a voluntary, national surveillance system, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and implemented to improve transfusion reaction reporting and provide standards for classifying and reporting these events.
Ontario is responsible for approximately one third of all transfusions in Canada; therefore, our participation is a key component of the national project.

 
Currently, there are 39 Ontario hospitals participating in the TTISS, representing approximately 70% of all blood and blood components issued in the province. MOHLTC will continue to expand the TTISS program to attain 90% coverage of all blood transfused within the province by March 2008.

Ontario's participation is being coordinated by the McMaster Transfusion Research Program at McMaster University on behalf of the BPCO. McMaster will work with PHAC to move to a web based data entry system over the upcoming year.

Transfusion Errors Surveillance System (TESS)

Also funded by PHAC, TESS is a web-based no-fault transfusion error tracking system. Based on experience from the TTISS program, TESS focuses on the class of transfusion related adverse events, not due to problems with the product, but the errors associated with various procedural and laboratory steps required for safe administration of product.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre operates as the Project Manager for TESS on behalf of Ontario and has been working with PHAC to develop the program for implementation across Canada. Started in January 2005, TESS is still considered a pilot project under development by PHAC.

In the upcoming year, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre will identify hospitals in Ontario to join the pilot program and work with PHAC to provide expertise and support for a national roll-out. The goal is to develop an integrated, web based, national medical event reporting system comprised of both TTISS and TESS.

For more information on TTISS or TESS visit www.phac-aspc.gc.ca.