‘No substitute for human blood’ | Hospitals feeling effects blood shortage

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The need for blood is at an all-time high across East Tennessee. MEDIC Regional Blood Center is facing “critical inventory.”

“We see the demand go up, and we see the donations go down,” said Kristy Altman, the Direct of Communications for MEDIC.

Typically, this means there is less than a two-day supply of blood. However, it is worse. Altman said MEDIC is down to half a day’s supply of blood.

“The demand is always there, 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, there is always a demand for those blood products,” she said.

MEDIC provides blood to 25 different hospitals across 23 counties, including East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Staff in the hospital said they are feeling the effects of the shortage.

“We are on the phone with them daily, working with them either through promotions or fulfilling that blood need because when they need it, we have to have it here in the building,” Chief Nursing Officer for ETCH Ron Phillips said.

The number of bags of blood is depleting, leaving hospital staff desperate and on the verge of canceling surgeries.

“We do look at, ‘okay what happens if?’ We don’t like to think that way, but it’s a reality right now that MEDIC is living in,” Phillips said. “We have the potential to have a child who will need a significant number of units of blood in one given day, and we can deplete our numbers very very quickly.”

Altman asked the community to give blood, saying that an hour of time can go a long way.

“This is the only volunteer project that you can do where you are truly saving someone’s life. There is no substitute for human blood,” Altman said.

Anyone interested can book an appointment to donate blood and find out their eligibility on the MEDIC website.

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