“T he gl o ry o f t h i s d ay s hine s th r o ugh my eyes ...” - Cathy V a ug h n
2014 EBAA Year in Review
CHAIR’S ADDRESS: What a GREAT Annual Meeting we had this year! The venue was amazing and the program content was current, engaging, and vital. I especially enjoyed seeing the hard work being done to improve patient outcomes presented by residents, fellows, and eye bankers during the Scientific Symposium. I’d like to again thank the hundreds of you who served as leaders and members of EBAA boards, committees, work groups, and task forces. It was amazing to see the number of people who volunteered to help improve our association,
and thus our profession, in a myriad of ways these past two years. I want to take this opportunity to highlight a few observations that I’ve seen during my term as Chair: • Inclusiveness – I was glad to participate in diverse committee appointments; we have many new faces serving on committees. We also saw full integration of Young Physicians into our leadership structure and we continue to see educational collaboration among our members despite an increasingly competitive
environment. Additionally, we saw two new international EBAA members come aboard from Hong Kong and Daqing, China. • Value to Members – legislative outreach to over 125 House and Senate offices by our CEO and Legislative Consultant; increased focus on reimbursement issues; publication of the Cost-Benefit Analysis; and new products and services are being developed for our members. • Best Practices – I was pleased to introduce Executive Director
The cover photo is the winning photograph from EBAA’s “Through My Eyes” Art Contest. For details, please see page 5.
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’d like to again thank the hundreds of you who served as leaders and members of EBAA boards, committees, work groups, and task forces. It was amazing to see
the number of people who volunteered to help improve our association, and thus our profession, in a myriad of ways these past two years.
sessions in Chicago and Portland; we had a successful Leadership & Advocacy Conference this past February, and we developed and implemented a detailed Strategic Plan. Moving forward we will be faced with having to address reimbursement issues as the Affordable Care Act gains traction and becomes more fully implemented. I am glad we were able to complete an updated study on eye bank finances and the costs associated with turning the precious Gift of Sight into a viable cornea transplant.
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As we move into the leadership of Dr. David Glasser’s term as Chair, I am feeling more confident than ever that EBAA and our profession are going to excel in delivering services to everyone who works to provide sight restoration through cornea donation. And, again, I want to say how proud I am of everyone who serves eye banking. From the EBAA staff in Washington, DC, to the various committees, boards, and many ad-hoc groups, your dedication shows, and our profession is better because of you.
Lastly, THANK YOU for the kind words and gifts of recognition that were bestowed upon me at the Annual Meeting. It is my pleasure and honor to serve our profession. Very Sincerely,
Dave Korroch, CEBT EBAA Chair 2012–2014
2014 EBAA YEAR IN REVIEW
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PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS: Dear EBAA Members: An association’s first obligation is to serve its members—to provide products and services that help its members achieve their goals and that make its profession stronger and more effective. In EBAA’s case, that means maintaining and refining our Medical Standards, inspecting and accrediting eye bank facilities and operations, providing educational content through a variety of sources and formats, and representing the profession before legislative and regulatory bodies.
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In the pages of this Year in Review, you will see that we have accomplished all these things and more. We have tried to anticipate members’ needs as expressed through surveys, conversations and comments on listservs to develop new products and services; these include our Leadership & Advocacy Conference, the Executive Directors Summit and our upcoming Slit Lamp Seminar in November. We’ve also looked for ways to improve on things we’re already doing, to make them more effective or user-friendly – things
like the addition of more social media tools for National Eye Donor Month, our solicitation of proposals for educational programming topics, and the increased number of networking opportunities at the Annual Meeting. We continue to strive to make EBAA a more inclusive and welcoming organization; a place where all members feel comfortable sharing their knowledge, expertise and opinions. For example, when our Committee Structure Task Force identified weaknesses in the ways members participate
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e continue to strive to make EBAA a more inclusive and welcoming organization; a place where all members feel comfortable
sharing their knowledge, expertise and opinions.
in committees and task forces, we completely restructured the process. We developed a more detailed application form to better understand volunteers’ interests, reduced the number of members per committee, and limited the number of committees on which a member can serve. As a result, members’ skills are more closely matched to a committee’s needs, members can dedicate more effort to the committees on which they serve, and committees’ smaller sizes give participants a greater opportunity to contribute and make a difference.
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Ultimately, it all comes down to you, our members; our mission is to help you fulfill your mission. If we do that, then we’re successful. And if we don’t, we want to know about it so we can refocus our efforts. So, as you read this report, please think about how we can serve you better, in ways big and small, and never hesitate to contact any member of the Board or staff to discuss those ideas with us. All the best,
Kevin P. Corcoran CAE President & CEO
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DONOR AND RECIPIENT STORIES
“THROUGH MY EYES” ART CONTEST For the second year, EBAA spearheaded an event for National Eye Donor Month— our annual commemoration to increase eye donation awareness, honor donors and their families, and celebrate the new lives of cornea recipients. This year’s contest, “Through My Eyes,” allowed cornea recipients and donor family members to share their experience of receiving sight or giving sight through their loved one. The contest included over 30 heartwarming, personal experiences expressed through art (drawings, photos or video), and written stories. Submissions exemplified these journeys, showing viewers the impact the gift of sight has had on their lives. These are summarizations and accompanying artwork from the entries that were chosen from each category. They have and will continue to be highlighted through various EBAA media.
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“Winter Chickadees” by Edward King
DRAWING/PAINTING Edward King: A painter of Iowa wildlife and landscapes since he was a young boy, Edward King had to put his hobby and many daily activities on hold when he was diagnosed with Fuchs Dystrophy. After bilateral cornea transplants, Mr. King painted the above portrait, “Winter Chickadees” - the first portrait he had been able to paint in over five years.
PHOTOGRAPH Cathy Vaughn and Celsey Mills: Mom Cathy and daughter Celsey were spending a day honoring their son and brother, Rob, a corneal donor, when Celsey took the photograph featured on the cover. In her submission, Ms. Vaughn captioned the photograph as follows: “The glory of this day shines through my eyes, our gift from God that I may share.” In loving memory of Rob Mills, 11/2/1994-10/30/2012
*VIDEO Chris Meyer: This video depicts an interview with Chris, a cornea recipient, about his transplant experience, including how it affected his ability to pursue his favorite hobby: fly fishing. *WRITTEN COMPOSITION Shelia Walters: Quote from Ms. Walters - “We knew our son wanted to be a donor. We found a bit of peace knowing that we were able to donate his corneas. But we gained so much more than that when we were able to meet the recipient of Caleb’s gift. Our story is one of strangers becoming family.”
*These items may be viewed here.
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STRATEGIC PLAN:
A WORK IN PROGRESS
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ADVOCACY
BRAND/VALUE
INTERNATIONAL
GOVERNANCE
THE FUTURE
In November 2012, the Board of Directors approved a strategic plan to shape the association’s direction and efforts through 2015. The plan is structured along five broad initiatives, with a series of goals and action items that, taken together, will enable EBAA and our member eye banks to fulfill our shared mission.
ADVOCACY – To date, EBAA is substantially ahead of schedule in the advocacy initiative; EBAA President & CEO Kevin Corcoran, along with Legislative Consultant Tom Bruderle, have met with over 100 members of the House and over 40 Senators. The association has also maintained and strengthened relationships with regulatory agencies who oversee eye banking. In the coming year, the association will increase its focus on grassroots outreach from its members to their legislators. EBAA is also actively cultivating relationships with other organizations, both within and outside the transplant community; these relationships have brought the association in contact with decision makers that otherwise could not have been reached. BRAND/VALUE – In many ways, this has proven to be the most difficult initiative to track, because it was predicated on conducting a series of surveys and focus groups to determine members’ needs and interests. However, based on past experiences, personal contact with members is far more effective than
questionnaires; those conversations have led to products and services that better meet members’ needs. INTERNATIONAL – EBAA has provided much of the foundational work to establish the Global Alliance of Eye Bank Associations (GAEBA), and is serving as the host organization for its Scientific Conference in San Diego in April 2015. Over the past 14 years, EBAA has awarded a Mary Jane O’Neill Fellowship; this year’s recipient was Dr. Branka Golubić, who serves as the Eye Bank Medical Director at the University Hospital Centre, Zagreb, Croatia. GOVERNANCE – The Committee Structure Taskforce critically evaluated volunteer engagement structure and proposed significant changes, which were implemented by Dr. David Glasser as he appointed committee members for his term as Chair. These changes included a more robust nomination process, so individuals can be matched with the opportunities for which they are best suited and most interested; reducing the size of committees so every participant
can have a direct impact on the committee’s work, and limiting the number of committees on which an individual may serve, so volunteers are not overloaded. THE FUTURE – This initiative’s objective is to ensure that leaders and members have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about the association and the profession. Much like Brand/Value, the association had to change its approach to accomplish this goal, but has been able to provide members with more information and better insights about the internal and external forces affecting eye banking. The strategic plan dashboard can be viewed on the EBAA website, and the online edition of the Year in Review includes a link to the plan’s full text. Please use these tools to monitor progress and provide feedback and insights that will help EBAA complete goals, and to prepare for the next planning cycle, which will start in the coming year.
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EBAA: YOUR ASSOCIATION AT WORK LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY: MAKING FRIENDS WHO INFLUENCE PEOPLE Legislative advocacy is a central component of EBAA’s 2012–2015 Strategic Plan. EBAA has flown under the radar on Capitol Hill for many years, but with reimbursement shortfalls becoming a primary concern of many eye banks, and significant Medicare reform looming as a potential threat, the Board of Directors decided it should start cultivating relationships that could be helpful. Legislators wield both direct and indirect influence. Direct influence entails supporting or opposing a piece of legislation related to the association or its profession. Often, the mere fact that a powerful committee chair is opposed to a piece of legislation is sufficient to prevent the bill from even being
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presented to his/her committee. While Medicare reform would be this type of issue, most EBAA concerns will not be addressed by legislation, so direct influence is of limited value to EBAA. Indirect influence, in which a legislator contacts a regulatory agency or other governmental body to encourage a positive outcome for an association, is different. Eye banking is regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, among others, and EBAA has good relationships with each organization/agency. As of yet, the association has not needed to ask legislators to intervene on its behalf.
However, should a major issue arise, EBAA would benefit from legislators’ active support. To develop the relationships which would be most valuable, the association identified the four committees – two in the Senate (Finance and Health, Education, Labor & Pensions) and two in the House (Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce) – most relevant to eye banking issues. By June 2013, EBAA had met with over 80% of the committee members directly focused on health care. Over the subsequent 12 months, that list was completed, so EBAA expanded it to meet with all the members of the full committees, and then added committees that address issues related to aging and to health
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ye banking is regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Food and Drug Administration and
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, among others, and EBAA has good relationships with each organization/agency. As of yet, the association has not needed to ask legislators to intervene on its behalf. However, should a major issue arise, EBAA would benefit from legislators’ active support.
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insurance. This brought the total number of visits to over 150. While staff will continue to push towards the ultimate goal of meeting with all 538 members of Congress, EBAA needs members to join this effort by visiting with their representatives when they are back in the district. To facilitate this effort, EBAA added a full day of legislative activity to the Leadership & Advocacy Conference held in February 2014. Educational content included presentations by Hill staffers to discuss how to best interact with their offices, by lobbyists to give their perspective on the issues and by staff from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) to discuss the legislative
issues of greatest concern to physicians. The afternoon was set aside to allow attendees to visit their legislators and then mingle with them during a reception in the Rayburn Gold Room. Unfortunately, due to a blizzard that dumped eight inches of snow on D.C. and shut down the Federal Government, EBAA was forced to cancel off-site activities and juggle the schedule to accommodate travel issues. Nonetheless, all speakers were able to address attendees, many of whom have reported feeling much more comfortable about meeting with their legislators.
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REGULATORY ADVOCACY
CMS MAINTAINS MEDICARE PASSTHROUGH FOR 2015 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formally ruled that Medicare will continue to designate corneal tissue acquisition as contractor-priced based on the invoiced costs for acquiring the corneal tissue for transplantation. They will provide separate payment for the procurement of corneal tissue, which is excluded from the comprehensive APC payment bundling policy. EBAA MOVES TOWARD IMPLEMENTATION OF ISBT 128 NOMENCLATURE, CODING AND LABELING EBAA’s Medical Advisory Board (MAB) voted to adopt the ocular terminology, developed by the International Eye Banking Technical Advisory Group (EBTAG) on Nomenclature, Coding and Labeling of Ocular Tissue in June 2013. The MAB formed a new subcommittee responsible for incorporating this standard terminology throughout the EBAA Medical Standards. In January 2014, the International Council for Commonality in Blood Bank Automation (ICCBBA), the international standards organization responsible for managing the ISBT 128 Information Standard for Blood and Transplant, was admitted into official relations with the World Health Organization. The move will help advance the goal of international consistency to improve the safety and traceability of blood, cells, tissues and organs through standardization of terminology, identification, coding and labeling. In June 2014, the MAB voted to
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accept the following timeline for implementation of ISBT 128 nomenclature, product codes and bar code labeling: • Utilize standardized ISBT 128 terminology by June 30, 2015 • Register with ICCBBA for a user ID by June 30, 2015 • Utilize standard product codes by January 1, 2016 • Utilize bar code labeling for internationally distributed tissue by January 1, 2017
EBAA SUBMITS COMMENTS TO FDA’S DRAFT WNV GUIDANCE EBAA submitted formal comments on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Draft Guidance for Industry: Use of Nucleic Acid Tests to Reduce the Risk of Transmission of West Nile Virus (WNV) from Donors of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products. The FDA draft guidance recommends using an FDAlicensed nucleic acid test (NAT) for testing donors of HCT/Ps for infection with WNV to reduce the risk of transmission of WNV. Once finalized, the guidance will supplement the donor screening recommendations for WNV that were made in the guidance entitled ‘‘Guidance for Industry: Eligibility Determination for Donors of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps).” In its January 22, 2014 comments filed with the FDA, EBAA stated that
it could not support year-round WNV NAT testing for HCT/P donors for the following reasons: 1) There is no evidence that testing reduces risk of transmission of WNV from donors of corneal tissue; 2) Current donor screening is effective and sufficient for conventional tissue transplantation; 3) Implications of using the Procleix WNV or Roche TaqMan Assays are unacceptable for cadaveric blood analysis due to the sample requirements, false-positive and invalid test results, and cost; 4) WNV is a seasonal disease; 5) Requiring costly tests that have not been scientifically validated to reduce risk cannot be justified in light of the current healthcare financing environment in the United States. The EBAA comments, supporting rationales, and recommendations made in response to the draft can be accessed here. EBAA SUBMITS COMMENTS ON FDA GUIDANCE FOR TESTING FOR INFECTION WITH SYPHILIS EBAA also submitted formal comments on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Draft Guidance for Industry: Use of Donor Screening Tests to Test Donors of Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/ Ps) for Infection with Treponema pallidum (Syphilis). The FDA draft guidance provides updated recommendations
concerning donor testing for evidence of T. pallidum infection, and clarifies that FDA does not consider diagnostic tests or preamendment devices adequate for use in donor testing. The draft guidance, when finalized, will supersede the recommendations for testing HCT/P donors for syphilis contained in the 2007 Donor Eligibility Guidance. EBAA stated in its February 3, 2014 comments filed with the FDA, that it could not support FDA’s recommendation to test all HCT/P donors using FDA-licensed, approved or cleared donor screening tests for testing donors of HCT/Ps for infection with Treponema pallidum for the following reasons: 1) Use of treponema-specific donor screening tests may identify a higher number of patients with falsely reactive results than traditional non-treponema diagnostic tests and cannot differentiate between active disease and previous infection; 2) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend traditional screening using a nontreponemal test followed by testing of reactive sera with a treponemal test; 3) Because parallel studies have not been done, it is unclear if the traditional RPR screening test or the treponema-specific screening test is more likely to result in more false-positive results in a HCT/P donor population; 4) FDA did not coordinate its proposal for testing requirements
with HRSA, OPTN, and UNOS or consider the policy implications between organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The EBAA comments, supporting rationales, and recommendations made in response to the draft guidance can be accessed here. DONOR RISK ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW HELPS ENSURE EFFECTIVE QUALITY ASSURANCE The administration and completion of the donor risk assessment interview (DRAI) is an essential safety element of tissue donor screening, and ultimately the determination of a deceased donor’s eligibility. EBAA worked with the American Association of Tissue Banks and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations to develop a joint guidance document that describes components and considerations for developing and implementing an effective quality assurance (QA) program process for the DRAI. The EBAA Medical Advisory Board approved this guidance document, which is now included in the Technical Procedures Manual. EBAA also held a webinar in August 2014 on implementing the uniform DRAI questionnaires. Recordings of that presentation are available for purchase through the EBAA website. AABB WORKING GROUP DEVELOPS SAMPLE TISSUE TRANSPLANTATION INFORMED CONSENT FORM The lack of adequate informed consent for tissue recipients at
many hospitals was highlighted at a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability (ACBTSA) meeting. AABB’s Biovigilance Tissue Working Group developed a sample informed consent form, which included suggested language to use for human tissue implants. EBAA submitted comments to the working group, which were incorporated to include the statement that donor tissue is acquired from eye banks that are accredited by EBAA and registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA’S CBER STAFF PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS TO EBAA MEMBERSHIP Mary Malarkey, Director, Office of Compliance and Biologics Quality, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) presented the FDA Compliance Update/Inspectional Findings at the EBAA Leadership and Advocacy Conference on February 13, 2014. Laura Hieronymus and Sharon O’Callaghan presented an interactive EBAA Education Institute webinar on HCTP Deviations and Consignee Notification. They discussed real scenarios that eye bankers face, what HCT/P regulation was violated, core CGTPs that must be reported, and whether consignee notification is appropriate.
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FALL EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM Over 411 registrants attended the EBAA and Cornea Society’s 2013 Fall Educational Symposium, held Friday, November 15, at the Astor Crowne Plaza in New Orleans, LA. Out of the 85 abstracts submitted this year, 26 were selected for presentation. A paper by Dr. Jordan Rixen, entitled Does Diabetes Make DMEK Tissue Preparation More Difficult?, was awarded the “Best Paper” recognition. This award, presented by EBAA and Cornea Society, and supported by an unrestricted educational grant from SightLife, is given annually to honor the best paper by a resident or fellow. In addition to the selected papers, there were Best Paper Awardee Jordan Rixen, MD, (second from right), with several other presentations, including the R. Townley (from left) SightLife CEO Monty Montoya, Cornea Society Past Paton Award Lecture by Naoshi Shinozaki, entitled, President Donald Tan, FRCS, and EBAA Chair David Korroch Eye Banking and Future Trends, and The Effect of Donor Age on Penetrating Keratoplasty for Endothelial Disease: Graft Survival and Endothelial Cell Loss After 10 Years in the Cornea Donor Study, presented by Ed Holland, MD, Mark Mannis, MD, Jonathan Lass, MD, Alan Sugar, MD and Monty Montoya, CEBT, MBA.
RUN FOR VISION On November 17, 2013, over 340 registrants braved an early morning fog to run or walk along the Mississippi River in the 28th Annual Run for Vision 5K. Bausch + Lomb has sponsored the race, held this year in New Orleans, LA, for nearly three decades; this year $17,190 was raised to support EBAA’s mission. Hazel Myers, a bilateral corneal transplant recipient from Baton Rouge, served as the official “starter,” sounding the horn to begin the race. Ms. Myers, who suffered from Fuchs dystrophy prior to her transplants, is an advocate for eye donation awareness throughout southern Louisiana. Among the hundreds of participants were overall race winners Gauti Johannesson and Emily Schneider, who crossed the finish line in 17:00 minutes and 19:24, respectively; as well as Dr. Woodford Van Meter, who has consistently participated in the Run for Vision for over 20 years. Through the efforts of Southern Eye Bank, Baton Rouge Regional Eye Bank, the Legacy Donor Foundation in New Orleans, and Bausch + Lomb’s public relations consultant team, the Run for Vision proved to be a memorable and successful event.
Bilateral cornea recipient Hazel Myers serving as official race starter
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To view additional Run for Vision photos, please click here.
TECHNICIAN EDUCATION SEMINAR The 2014 EBAA Technician Education Seminar (TES) was held January 29–February 1, at the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research (LEITR) in Tampa, Florida. Although an unexpected snow storm in the South made it difficult for some of the registrants to attend, TES staff welcomed an eager group of attendees who were ready to learn and participate. During the fourday seminar, attendees learned the practical, technical, and scientific aspects of the eye banking practice through lectures, demonstrations, and lively discussions. For the second year in a row, participants received a special treat when a corneal transplant recipient, Samantha Barlow, spoke about receiving the gift of sight. Ms. Barlow was born with Peter’s Anomaly, an eye condition where abnormal development of the anterior segment occurs and causes the cornea to be cloudy, leading to blurred vision and corneal blindness. She shared her experience of going from blindness to sight with the beginning technicians. Many of the attendees were taken aback when Ms. Barlow mentioned that she
was unable to see the chalk board until after she received a cornea transplant in middle school; she is now a college graduate who enjoys Co rnea Re cipient Sam a successful antha Ba rlo w ith LE ITR e w (center) mployees, pictu red Patr ick Go career as a re and Kelle y Sims paralegal. According to many of the newer technicians, curriculum, and for dedicating listening to someone who has their time over the past few years received a corneal transplant is a to the education of eye bank great reminder of why the standards technicians. The association would and regulations are extremely also like to give a special thanks important. Attendees shared that to LEITR for hosting the seminar, meeting Ms. Barlow and hearing and to all of the attendees who her story allowed them to see how participated in this year’s TES. their daily work benefits cornea The seminar continues to grow, recipients. and EBAA looks forward to the continued success and evolution EBAA thanks Kristen McCoy, Wade of this important program. McEntire, Adam Stockman and George Rosenwasser, MD, for preparing and facilitating the TES 2014 EBAA YEAR IN REVIEW
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Dianne Margle (left) and Dena Gabel of Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Eye Bank at the U.S. Capitol for a meeting with their legislator
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Despite Mother Nature’s best efforts to thwart it, EBAA’s 2014 Leadership & Advocacy Conference was a success. Sixty-five attendees from 31 eye banks came to Washington, DC, February 12-14, 2014, for several days of intensive learning sessions on a variety of topics. Eye bankers spoke on topics like “Re-Imagining Eye Banking’s Financial Model,” “Maximizing the Value of your Lobbying Visit,” and “Making a Compelling Case for Financial Contributions.” External speakers offered thoughtful presentations on “Establishing Your Personal Brand,” “Investment Strategies to Support Your Eye
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Bank,” “Legislative and Regulatory Issues for Physicians,” “Fundraising Challenges Facing Non-Profits,” and more. A storm dropped eight plus inches of snow on the DC area on Thursday, requiring staff to make some adjustments to move elements of the program from one day to another and arrange for some of the sessions to be delivered via webinar. The storm shut down the Federal Government, forcing the cancellation of the Congressional Reception on Capitol Hill. However, the adaptability of the attendees allowed for a number of people to visit their legislators’ offices before leaving town.
In a post-event survey, 97% of respondents rated the overall content as good to excellent; 100% of respondents said that the conference provided them with new information and/or tools; and 100% of respondents said that they found the conference helpful in their role at their eye bank. Based on the success of this program, EBAA plans to hold a Leadership Meeting in early 2015, but will search for a warm-weather location.
NATIONAL
EYE DONOR MONTH This year marked EBAA’s 31st commemoration of National Eye Donor Month (NEDM). Since 1983, the association and its member eye banks have utilized NEDM to raise awareness of the need to donate eyes, and to honor donors and their families and celebrate cornea recipients. The invaluable efforts of eye banks and corneal surgeons to restore sight worldwide are also highlighted during NEDM. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Eye Donor Month, and since then, a member of Congress has read a proclamation into the Congressional Record each March to note this special occasion. In accordance with this custom, Representative Aaron Schock (IL-18) entered the National Eye Donor Month proclamation this year.
sheet, a state/city proclamation submission form, and more.
With the continued expansion of the NEDM celebration, EBAA has offered its members a plethora of materials to support the various events, activities and programs they sponsor in honor of NEDM. EBAA developed new tools for member use, including a NEDM logo and banner, an educational word find and fact
• In addition to Rep. Schock’s national proclamation, there were over 15 state and city proclamations made for National Eye Donor Month. • There was a 17% increase in visits to the National Eye Donor Month webpage, as compared to last year.
To parallel the diligence of member eye banks in sponsoring events for NEDM, EBAA spearheaded its second annual NEDM event, the “Through My Eyes” Art Contest (highlighted on pages 4-5 of this publication). Over 30 submissions were forwarded to the association as part of the contest, which afforded cornea recipients and donor family members the opportunity to share their stories of sight restoration, change, and hope. NEDM continues to grow, and make the restoration of sight a reality for thousands of people each year. Here are just a few of the achievements made during NEDM:
• EBAA’s social media outlets saw increased member participation this year. Member eye banks and various transplant and donation organizations posted images, events and stories to Facebook, as well as Instagram. • Multiple eye banks held events in honor of National Eye Donor Month, which received press coverage from numerous media outlets. • Over 20 organizations used the National Eye Donor Month logo and/or banner in or on publications and webpages to promote the event. This included Providence Medical Center (NE), UT Health Science Center (TX), LABS, Inc. (CO) and ViroMed Laboratories, Inc. (NC). The association is already planning the 2015 NEDM commemoration, and looks forward to its continued role as a public demonstration of this community’s dedication to restoring sight worldwide.
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ANNUAL MEETING EBAA welcomed 377 attendees to its 53rd Annual Meeting, entitled EBAAÂ Portland: The Bridge to Sight, held at the Hilton Portland and Executive Tower. Following the success of the 2013 meeting in Chicago, EBAA retained some of the most successful elements of that program, including incorporating a number of external speakers, and offering enhanced networking and social activities. We also introduced some new and enhanced features, such as adjusting the Technician Skills Workshop date and time, and extending the Executive Directors Luncheon into a half-day program. The meeting kicked off on Wednesday morning with a half-day Executive Directors Summit, held at Lions VisionGift. The afternoon featured sessions on Improving Donation through Data Access, Analysis and Reporting and Keep it
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Confidential: HIPAA, Privacy and You. That night, attendees and exhibitors gathered at Punch Bowl Social a few blocks away from the Hilton, for dinner, drinks, epic bowling, table tennis and darts competitions, karaoke and much more. This year, EBAA issued a Call for Presentations, and a number of sessions, including Process Validation: Beyond the Regulations, Improving Recovery Rates and Tissue Quality in Medical Examiner/ Coroner Cases and Measuring Success through Donor Designation, came from proposals that were submitted in response. Host eye bank, LionsVision Gift, contributed greatly to the meeting,
offering suggestions for off-site venues, recommending and securing speakers, sponsoring the Wednesday night party at Punch Bowl Social along with other events, providing a bottle of specially-labelled Oregon wine to registrants, sending staff to help at registration and much, much more. EBAA thanks all of the sponsors of the 53rd Annual Meeting as well as exhibitors. A complete list of sponsors and exhibitors can be found on page 27. Additional Annual Meeting photos may be seen here. EBAA looks forward to the 54th Annual Meeting, June 3-6, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia.
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ollowing the success of the 2013 meeting in Chicago, EBAA retained some of the most successful elements of that program, including incorporating a number of external speakers, and
offering enhanced networking and social activities.
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Gift of Sight Awardee Karen Gunson, MD, (right) with Corrina Patzer of Lions VisionGift
Former Heise Awardees pictured with the family of 2014 Heise Recipient, Doyce Williams
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WHAT’S NEW: DEVELOPMENTS IN EYE BANKING TECHNIQUES
DESCEMET MEMBRANE ENDOTHELIAL KERATOPLASTY The eye banking community, both eye bankers and surgeons, has often led the development of corneal surgery techniques, as well as advancements in tissue preparation and preservation. While new corneal surgery practices are constantly emerging, Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is one particular technique that has seen substantial advancements and increasing popularity. In fact, DMEK utilization increased by 103.5% between 2012 and 2013, as reported in EBAA’s annual eye banking statistics. As a newer practice in corneal transplantation, DMEK allows surgeons to replace only the pure
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endothelium, as opposed to using the Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty, where the endothelium, Descemet membrane and posterior corneal stroma are removed. Supporters of the DMEK procedure often emphasize better optical quality and speedier and more complete patient rehabilitation as reasons why DMEK is preferred over DSAEK or other techniques. To provide an idea of how eye bankers and corneal surgeons are utilizing DMEK and preparing tissue for the method, EBAA reached out to member eye banks and the corneal surgeons with whom they work. The following is a snapshot of how some EBAA member eye
banks and affiliated surgeons are handling DMEK preparation. DISSECTION METHOD Most eye banks that responded use the Descemet Peeling, or Scuba, method. Scuba was the preferred method because it provides consistent grafts and has a higher success rate than the Pneumatic, or Big Bubble, method. A smaller percentage of responders use the Big Bubble method. TISSUE CHARACTERISTICS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL GRAFT DISSECTION Respondents agreed that older donors, specifically age 50 and over, provided better tissue for DMEK because of the increased thickness of the Descemet membrane.
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Additionally, individual eye banks found that non-diabetic tissue and lack of surgical scars were characteristics that aid successful graft dissection. One eye bank also included high-quality peripheral endothelium as an additional characteristic for successful dissection.
• Patience and an ability to adapt the program when needed • Well-designed DMEK tissue preparation rooms • Allowing for a longer validation timetable • Utilizing only the most-proficient technicians
Medical Director of Lions VisionGift, Portland, OR.
FACTOR FOR SUCCESS WHEN BEGINNING A DMEK PROGRAM Eye banks with current DMEK programs emphasized the following as factors for success:
SURGEON CONSIDERATIONS The surgeons who responded had varied opinions on when to use DMEK over DSAEK, mostly based on the type of corneal issue or existing eye anomalies. “We offer DMEK on all cases of uncomplicated Fuchs and PBK and failed PK. If the eye has a tube, trabec, AC IOL, aphasia, large iris defect, or prior vitrectomy we do a DSAEK,” said Dr. Mark Terry,
To continue the dialogue and information exchange on DMEK, EBAA will be hosting a January 2015 webinar where one eye bank will share their experience with developing a DMEK tissue preparation program.
• Training with another eye bank and DMEK surgeon • Practicing the procedure extensively • Open communication with the surgeon
Dr. Alan Leahey, Medical Director of Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Eye Bank, Bethlehem, PA, said he offers DMEK as an option for routine EK and DSAEK for more complex cases.
EBAA thanks the eye banks and corneal surgeons who shared their expertise on DMEK tissue preparation.
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AWARDS AND HONORS
Doyce Will
iams
LEONARD HEISE AWARD The Leonard Heise Award is presented annually to a nonphysician eye banker in recognition of his/her outstanding devotion to the EBAA’s development and for exemplifying the precepts of Leonard Heise, a major contributor to the fight against blindness and one of the founders of the Eye Bank Association of America. This year, EBAA presented this prestigious award to Doyce Williams, President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alabama Eye Bank, and the eye bank’s subsidiaries, Global Sight Network and Precision Cornea Graft. Doyce has been a dedicated employee at Alabama Eye Bank for 33 years, acquiring certified eye bank technician (CEBT) status in 1988. During his tenure, he has served in various capacities, climbing the ladder to his current position as President and CEO.
International Relations and Finance Committees. Doyce not only offers time and tireless work to EBAA, but to other ophthalmic and educational entities. He was elected as a Board of Directors charter member for Eye Care Alabama, Inc., a statewide organization designed to coordinate vision services. He has served as a visiting lecturer at the Alabama Academy of Ophthalmology and the University of Alabama. He also served as Chairman of Funding for the University of Alabama, Birmingham’s
Department of Ophthalmology Fellowship in Corneal and External Disease, as well as an adjunct professor for the department. A recipient of the Lions Clubs International’s Presidential Leadership Development Award, Doyce is a published author, having his work included in the State of Alabama Journal of Medicine (Eye Banking in Alabama). He is also author and co-publisher of EBAA’s first Technical Procedures Manual and four books about family life.
Beyond the walls of Alabama Eye Bank, Doyce has been a devoted volunteer on various boards and committees of EBAA, including the Constitution & Bylaws and Meetings Committees; he is a former Large Eye Bank Representative on the EBAA Board of Directors, and also recently served as a member of the Family of Doyce Williams, 2014 Heise Awardee
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R. TOWNLEY PATON AWARD In November 2013, EBAA presented the R. Townley Paton Award to Naoshi Shinozaki from Tokyo, Japan. The Paton Award honors R. Townley Paton, MD, the father of modern eye banking and the founder of the first eye bank established in the United States. Mr. Shinozaki is the Executive Director of the Japan Organ Transplant Network and the Cornea Center & Eye Bank, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa General
Hospital, in Japan. Mr. Shinozaki has co-authored various papers and case reports on corneal research and other transplantation topics for publications such as Cornea and the American Journal of Ophthalmology; he has made over 16 presentations on these topics to professional society organizations within the past six years. Mr. Shinozaki is a former member of the EBAA International Relations Committee and the EBAA Medical Advisory Board.
Naoshi Shinozaki
2013 Paton Awardee Naoshi Shinozaki with past Paton Awardees
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MARY JANE O’NEILL FELLOWSHIP IN
INTERNATIONAL EYE BANKING
Branka Golubić, MD
Established in 2001 by EBAA and the Eye-Bank for Sight Restoration (EBSR) in New York City, the Mary Jane O’Neill (MJO) Fellowship in International Eye Banking was designed to provide medical or technical personnel from eye banks outside of the U.S. and Canada with the skills necessary to develop, operate, and maintain successful eye banks within their own countries, reducing blindness due to corneal disease or injury. The Fellowship was created to honor Mary Jane O’Neill, EBSR’s Executive Director from 1980 to 2000. During her long history in eye banking, Ms. O’Neill was a forward thinking visionary and championed international outreach, devoting significant efforts to establish and improve eye banking services worldwide. The Fellowship brings an individual to the U.S to attend the EBAA Annual Meeting and work with a host eye bank. This year’s MJO Fellow, was Dr. Branka Golubić from Zagreb, Croatia. Dr. Golubić is head of the Department of Transfusion,
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Medicine and Transplantation Biology at the University Hospital Centre Zagreb, and serves as both Medical Director and Executive Director for the hospital’s eye bank. She has 26 years of medical and executive experience in blood transfusion, hematopoietic stem cells collection, and processing and storage, including running the cord blood bank. She received her M.D. and PhD from the School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia, and has specialty training in Transfusion Medicine. Dr. Golubić has collaborated on projects cofunded by the European Union Public Health Program; Vigilance and Surveillance of Substances of Human Origin (SOHO V&S) and Good practices in the field of blood transfusion. She was also a member of the Croatian negotiation team for joining the European Union for Chapter 28 Consumer and Health Protection, as an expert for tissue and cells. EBAA thanks the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland and the Medical Eye Bank of Florida for hosting Dr. Golubić.
GIFT OF SIGHT AWARD During the 53rd Annual Meeting, Dr. Karen Gunson received EBAA’s 2014 Gift of Sight Award. This award is presented to a professional who works closely with the eye banking community, and whose efforts have demonstrated significant support of eye and corneal donation. Recipients have included nurses, medical examiners, funeral service professionals, social workers, clergy, legislators, and other professionals who have worked to encourage corneal donation.
Dr. Gunson has been a huge advocate for eye donation for over 15 years. She was intimately involved in developing Oregon’s 911 referral system to ensure that scene deaths were referred to the eye bank and families were given the opportunity to donate whenever possible. Dr. Gunson has been an avid supporter of Lions VisionGift, and attends multiple public education events each year in collaboration with Donate Life Northwest.
Dr. Gunson is the State Medical Examiner (ME) for Oregon. She graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology in 1976, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology in 1977. Dr. Gunson received her doctorate of medicine from Oregon Health and Science University in 1981.
She has established guidelines on donation for MEs across the state and creates a positive impact on the field of eye donation and transplantation. Dr. Gunson’s dedication, energy and leadership provide a direct and lasting benefit to donor families, people in need of transplantation, and transplant recipients. Her steadfast support for donation translates into many lives saved and enhanced. She stands as an exquisite role model to her peers and colleagues throughout the country.
Karen Gunson, MD
After a four-year residency in Pathlology at OHSU, she joined the Oregon State ME Office in 1985 as a Deputy State ME, and became the State ME in 1999.
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PATRICIA AIKEN-O’NEILL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Shannon Leonard, RN, BSN, received this year’s Patricia Aiken-O’Neill (PAO) Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship designated to provide funds for an eye bank staff member to attend the EBAA Annual Meeting. The scholarship is named for Patricia Aiken-O’Neill, former EBAA President & CEO, whose 21 years of dedicated service and commitment furthered the association and eye banking community’s shared focus on sight restoration and education.
Shannon Leonard
Ms. Leonard obtained her Bachelor of Applied Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia. She has over 20 years of nursing experience, specializing in operating room nursing. Transferring her vast experience and knowledge, Ms. Leonard has brought her skill set, and an innovative approach to donor development to the Eye Bank of British Columbia. This approach, including the introduction of social media, has resulted in a steady increase in donor numbers and improved collaboration with other donation agencies. Ms. Leonard is also an award-winning photographer who enjoys outdoor activities with her family and four-legged friends.
JACHIN MISKO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENT IN EYE BANKING The Jachin Misko Memorial Scholarship for Technical Advancement in Eye Banking was awarded to Monica Freiburger, BA, CEBT. The scholarship was established to honor Jachin Misko, whose accomplishments in technical innovation greatly benefitted the eye banking profession. Sponsored by Saving Sight and Numedis, the scholarship celebrates Mr. Misko’s legacy by supporting other eye bank technicians who exhibit a passion for excellence in eye banking and a promise for advancing the profession, and affords the recipient the opportunity to attend the Technician Education Seminar in Tampa, Florida. Ms. Freiburger began working for the Iowa Lions Eye Bank as a parttime tissue recovery technician in June 2008. She became a full-time Laboratory Technician in May 2011, and a Certified Eye Bank Technician this year. In her current role, Ms. Freiburger is responsible for coordinating and supporting daily laboratory operations, which includes reviewing medical charts, performing tissue recoveries, preparing Autologous Serum Eye Drops and assisting in research projects. She has a degree in Biology from Coe College.
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Monica Freiburger
RICHARD LINDSTROM
EBAA RESEARCH GRANTS: In 2014, EBAA awarded $47,000 to the following EBAA/Richard Lindstrom Research Grant recipients. Research grants are awarded annually to provide support for proposals specifically concerned with issues directly related to eye banking and/ or corneal transplantation. The EBAA research program is made possible by the Lindstrom Fund for Corneal Research. “THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF AMPHOTERICIN B IN OPTISOL-GS”$9,032 Katie Duncan, MD, School of Medicine, University of Maryland
Aim of the Study: To determine the optimal concentration of Amphotericin B necessary to eradicate viable fungal organisms from the Optisol-GS corneal storage medium; to determine concentrations of Amphotericin B at which toxicity to donor corneal tissue can be avoided; and to determine what role light inactivation of Amphotericin B may play in its efficacy, as well as its toxicity, when used as an antifungal corneal storage media additive. “ROLE OF PLASMACYTOID DENDRITIC CELLS IN CORNEAL TRANSPLANT”- $9,818 Arsia Jamali, MD, MPH, Schepens Eye Research Institute
Aim of the Study: To evaluate the kinetics of pDC recruitment to the cornea and their egress to submandibular draining lymph nodes (dLNs) following corneal transplantation; to assess the impact of pDCs on T cell responses in corneal transplantation; and to determine the significance of pDCs in corneal graft survival.
“ENHANCING DMEK SUCCESS THROUGH THE IDENTIFICATION OF CORRECT LEVELS OF TRYPAN BLUE DYE APPLICATION TO DONOR CORNEAL TISSUE”- $5,145 Parag Majmudar, MD, Illinois Eye-Bank
Aim of the Study: To determine the correct combination of concentration of trypan blue dye and the length of application of trypan blue dye in order to achieve a long-lasting stain that can be applied to donor corneal tissue prior to transplant without damage to the corneal tissue in order to enhance visibility for heightened DMEK surgical success. “INTEGRIN BLOCKADE IN HIGH-RISK CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION”- $9,901 Hamidreza Moein, MD, Schepens Eye Research Institute
Aim of the Study: To determine if blocking the a4 integrin or its ligands (MAdCAM-1 and VCAM-1) blocks the recruitment of DCs to the cornea after high-risk corneal transplantation by performing homing studies; determine the functional role of MAdCAM-1 and/ or VCAM-1 in the egress of DCs from the cornea to the dLNs and determine the effect of MAdCAM-1 and/or VCAM-1 blockade on the survival of high-risk corneal grafts.
“PRE-LOADED GRAFTS FOR DMEK”$4,500 Diego Ponzin, MD, The Veneto Eye Bank Foundation
Aim of the Study: To provide a preloaded and pre-validated tissue to the surgeon with correct orientation and reduce the complexity of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). “AMPK ACTIVATION FOR TREATMENT OF FUCHS’ CORNEAL DYSTROPHY”$8,605 Guadalupe Villareal, Jr., MD, Wilmer Eye Institute
Aim of the Study: To examine the effect of AMPK activation on the expression of Nrf2 and its antioxidant gene targets in normal and Fuchs corneal endothelial cells, and to determine whether AMPK activators inhibit DNA damage and apoptosis in normal and Fuchs corneal endothelial cells exposed to oxidative stress.
2014 EBAA YEAR IN REVIEW
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Staff from Arkansas Lions Eye Bank & Laboratory, 2013 Networking Grant recipient, visit with Kyle Mavin of Michigan Eye-Bank (left to right; Steve Staples, Dr. David Warner, Kyle Mavin and Geoffrey Brown)
NETWORKING
GRANTS Networking Grants are awarded annually to promote an educational interchange of ideas between eye banks. This year, the EBAA Executive Committee awarded $1,500 grants to Rochester Eye and Tissue Bank and Michigan Eye-Bank.
Rochester Eye and Tissue Bank will visit Indiana Lions Eye Bank to learn about their training procedures and to gain advice about updating and standardizing training materials and practices.
Michigan Eye-Bank will visit Alabama Eye Bank to discuss and brainstorm about how eye banks can best reach out to the public and their constituents. A staff member from Michigan Eye-Bank will visit Alabama Eye Bank to: • learn about some of their most successful outreach/educational campaigns and how they maximize their partnerships with other organizations; • share best practices from both organizations; and • brainstorm ways for eye banks to better collaborate with each other and to communicate their community relations strategies to each other.
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EBAA WELCOMES 57 NEW CEBTS During the 2013-2014 fiscal year, 57 individuals in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, and the Philippines passed the Certified Eye Bank Technician (CEBT) exam. EBAA congratulates Gregory Grossman from Cleveland Eye Bank, and Tiffany Kilbas from OneLegacy in California, who received the highest exam scores in Fall 2013 and Spring 2014, respectively. To highlight their achievement, EBAA recognizes new CEBTs each June during a special presentation at the Annual Meeting. To view the 2013-2014 CEBT presentation, click here*. *For the best viewing experience, please turn up the volume on your computer.
OUR
SUPPORTERS EBAA thanks the following organizations whose material and financial contributions throughout the year have supported EBAA’s vision to restore sight worldwide. The association’s efforts would not be possible without their support.
2014 ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS Alabama Eye Bank Global Sight Network Haag-Streit HAI Laboratories, Inc. International Journal of Eye Banking Konan Medical USA, Inc. Lions Medical Eye Bank and Research Center of Eastern Virginia Lions VisionGift Midwire Miracles in Sight Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Eye Bank Transplant Connect
2014 ANNUAL MEETING EXHIBITORS Axis Global Logistics Bausch + Lomb Donate Life America Gebauer Medizintechnik Global Sight Network HAI Laboratories, Inc. ICCBBA Konan Medical USA, Inc. Krolman LABS, Inc. Miracles in Sight Moria, Inc. NanoCool Numedis Ocular Systems, Inc. Prescott’s, Inc. Providence Packaging QualTex Laboratories Quick International Courier Southland Medical Corporation Statline Stephens Instruments Transplant Connect ViroMed Laboratories VRL Laboratories
2014 EBAA YEAR IN REVIEW
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FINANCIAL DATA Revenue g Member Dues
$ 1,340,224
g Meeting Registration
$ 401,907
g Accreditation Fees
$ 139,453
g Technician Exam/Recertification
$ 88,615
g Other Contributions
$ 365,320
Total
$ 2,335,519
Expenses
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g Member Services
$ 836,995
g Meetings
$ 353,578
g Accreditation
$ 94,247
g Administrative
$ 700,600
Total
$ 1,985,420
“
T
he Eye Banking Statistical Report would not be possible without the active participation and support of all our members and the dedication
of the EBAA Statistical Report Committee.
”
STATISTICAL REPORT
EBAA’s 2013 Eye Banking Statistical Report is the world’s most comprehensive examination of eye banking processes and trends. This year’s report includes information on all 76 U.S. and 10 international member eye banks, and is separated into sections which correspond to the EBAA Statistical Report Ledger. Bookmarked links were added to allow viewers to go to specific points of interest. The report now separates U.S. data from that provided by international eye banks; however, the analysis continues to compare notable differences between the two. New this year are three-year trending graphs, including domestic and international surgery trends and a table and graph comparing the surgical indications for keratoplasty by surgery type (PK, EK, and ALK). Dr. Woodford Van Meter’s analysis of the types of keratoplasty performed for a specific diagnosis separates the indications for transplant into four basic categories: 1) endothelial cell
failure; 2) stromal or full thickness (non-endothelial) disease; 3) regrafts; and 4) unknown. EBAA’s 2013 Fast Facts for Physicians, prepared by Holly B. Hindman, MD, provided a synopsis of our statistical report for our Paton Society members. This Executive Summary included the highlights and graphics from the statistical report most useful to surgeons. In 2013, domestic eye banks reported 123,079 total tissue recoveries, an increase of 5.2% from 116,990 recoveries in 2012. The total number of donors in the United States was 62,274, up 5.2% from 2011. The total number of U.S. supplied tissue distributed for keratoplasty (including long-term preserved tissue) was 72,736, a 5.9% increase from 68,681 in the previous year. 20,213 (29.5%) of U.S. intermediateterm preserved corneas were exported internationally in 2013. While penetrating keratoplasty (PK) numbers were flat (up 0.8%), more
tissue was used for endothelial keratoplasty (EK up 12.4%) and for lamellar keratoplasty (ALK up 8.3%) in 2013 compared with 2012. In the U.S., the reported number of corneal transplants performed in the United States increased from 46,684 in 2012 to 48,229 in 2013 (3.3%). Domestically, the number of PKs performed continued to decrease in 2013 (20,954, -2.2%). At the same time, the number of corneas used for EK (24,987, 8.4%) and ALK (951, 7.7%) increased in 2013. The total number of DMEK performed in 2013 was 1522, an increase of 103.5% since 2012. The Eye Banking Statistical Report would not be possible without the active participation and support of all our members and the dedication of the EBAA Statistical Report Committee. The Statistical Report is a valuable and useful resource for eye banks to review their operational efficacy and to drive performance improvement efforts.
2014 EBAA YEAR IN REVIEW
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LEADERSHIP ROSTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013–2014 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
CHAIR David Korroch, CEBT
CHAIR-ELECT David Glasser, MD
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Marian Macsai, MD
EX-OFFICIO, PER ARTICLE 4.6
MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR Michael Nordlund, MD, PhD
PRESIDENT & CEO Kevin Corcoran, CAE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT-LARGE MEMBERS
Jim Quirk, CEBT
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Doyce Williams, CEBT
SECRETARY Donna Drury, MBA, CEBT
TREASURER Woodford Van Meter, MD
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT-LARGE MEMBERS
Tony Bavuso, CEBT
Michael Nordlund, MD, PhD
Jeff Penta, CEBT
Kevin Ross, MS, MPH
Jason Woody, CTS, CEBT
Jim Quirk
Doyle Stulting, MD, PhD
APPOINTED PER ARTICLE 4.2 E: AAO REPRESENTATIVE
D: DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD
Woodford Van Meter, MD
Bernie Iliakis, CEBT
Jackie Malling, CEBT
REPRESENTATIVES BY SIZE OF EYE BANK SMALL EYE BANK
MEDIUM EYE BANK
Jay Lugo, CEBT, COT
William Buras, CEBT
LARGE EYE BANK
Jim Wagner, CEBT, CTBS
Chris Stoeger, CEBT, CTBS
Doyce Williams, CEBT
2014 EBAA YEAR IN REVIEW
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COMMITTEE CHAIRS 2012–2014 ACCREDITATION BOARD
MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD
Co-Chairs: W. Barry Lee, MD
Chair:
Vice Chair: Jennifer Li, MD
Jim Quirk, CEBT
Michael Nordlund, MD, PhD
Vice Chairs: Eric Meinecke, CEBT
Neda Shamie, MD
MEDICAL REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE Chair:
Sean Edelstein, MD
CERTIFICATION BOARD Chair:
Patrick Gore, RN, CEBT
MEETINGS COMMITTEE Chair:
CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS COMMITTEE Chair:
Corrina Patzer
Vice Chair: Chuck Pivoney, CEBT
Bess Beliveaux, CEBT PATON COMMITTEE
CONTINUING EDUCATION COMMITTEE Chair:
Chair:
Alan Sugar, MD
Michael Tramber, CEBT POLICY & POSITION REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE
DONOR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Chair:
Chair:
Vice Chair: Amanda Nerone, CEBT
Sara McFee, APR
Shahzad Mian, MD
Vice Chair: Katie Charter, CEBT QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE EXAM COMMITTEE
Chair:
Chair:
Vice Chair: Janice Ableson, RN
Edwin Roberts, CEBT
Kristin Mathes
FINANCE COMMITTEE
RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Chair:
Chair:
Woodford Van Meter, MD
Neal Barney, MD
HEISE COMMITTEE
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS COMMITTEE
Chair:
Chair:
Dean Vavra, CEBT
Neda Shamie, MD
Vice Chair: Bruce H. Varnum STATISTICAL REPORT COMMITTEE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Chair:
Co-Chairs:
Jeffrey Penta, CEBT
Vice Chair: Caroline Hoover, CEBT
Jeremy Shuman, CEBT
Brian Philippy, CEBT
TECHNICAL PROCEDURES MANUAL SUBCOMMITTEE LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY COMMITTEE Chair:
Chair:
Michael Tramber, CEBT
Rusty Kelly, CAE
Vice Chair: Cindy Reed, RN, PhD
TECHNICIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE Chair:
Jay Lugo, CEBT, COT
Vice Chair: Kristen McCoy, CEBT, CTBS
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EBAA STAFF
PRESIDENT & CEO Kevin P. Corcoran, CAE
VICE-PRESIDENT OF MEMBER SERVICES Molly Georgakis
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Bernie Dellario
DIRECTOR OF REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS Jennifer DeMatteo, MCM, CIC
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Stacey Gardner
MANAGER OF COMMUNICATIONS Patricia Hardy
MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS COORDINATOR Star Johnson
LEGISLATIVE CONSULTANT Tom Bruderle
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