"When critical need impacts The Blood Connection, it becomes a concern for our care teams," she said. Victoria Dunkle, spokesperson at AdventHealth in Hendersonville, said the hospital is feeling the effects of the shortage with winter weather on the way. Related: Mission health care workers demand safer working conditions, join national nurses action "Our ability to provide life-saving blood is fully reliant on the daily response of our donor base and we encourage the public to donate to The Blood Connection." "However, we have less than ideal blood inventory levels," she said. The Blood Connection is the sole provider of blood for Mission Hospital, AdventHealth and Pardee Health, along with many other hospitals across Western North Carolina, it says.Īt Mission, spokesperson Nancy Lindell says that the blood shortage is a nationwide issue, but at Mission Health, hospitals continue to be able to meet the demand of patients.
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Low blood supply could impact WNC hospitals Those blood drives can net anywhere from 20-100 units of blood in the drives, which can run two-10 hours, Smithson said, and each group will get a dedicated account manager to help set the date and time. The Blood Connection will provide the staff and supplies for the drive, and some basic marketing materials for folks to get the word out, she said, and asks only that organizations help in marketing the event to their communities. If a business, employer or church wants to host a blood drive, all they need to do is call The Blood Connection and supply either six to seven flat parking spaces for a blood mobile to park, or indoor space to host the drive, Smithson said.
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More donations, and more importantly more blood drives are the only ways to solve the problem, the group says, urging businesses, churches an schools to call 86 to host a blood drive. The Blood Center also hosts permanent locations at 225 Airport Road in Arden and at 825 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville, where she said people who may be hesitant can go to have some more space and comfort when donating compared to a blood mobile. More: Spiking COVID-19 infections decimate Asheville City Schools staff forces system to close While the omicron variant has led to a spike in cases and related blood drive closures, Smithson said she doesn't think hesitation from donors about contracting the virus is the reason for low turnout, citing an increase in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. "We're projecting, if this trend continues, we'll collect 40% less than what our hospitals need." "Typically we need to see 800 units a day to supply what our hospitals need," said Katie Smithson, partnerships and media coordinator with The Blood Connection.
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Blood donation bags on a Blood Connection bus at Archetype June 15, 2021.