Local Blood Bank Has Lowest Number of Blood Units in Decades
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NORTH JACKSON, Tenn. — According to a local blood supplier, some of the most-used blood types are running dangerously low at blood banks in West Tennessee, and patients in some local hospitals could be put in danger. The lab at Lifeline Blood Service has a clear fridge with shelves for all types of blood. Sunday, more than half of those shelves were empty. The shelves that were not quite bare have only a day’s worth of blood for West Tennessee patients. Joe Schifano, the administrator for the blood center, said they often times run low on blood. “Occasionally, the collections are less than the usage. Sometimes it’s because the collections are low, sometimes because the usage is high,” Schifano said. He said this time, the blood supply is exceptionally low. “The practical piece, blood centers never try to let it get dangerous. I can tell you right now this is the least amount of O negative and A negative I’ve seen in our system in 25 years,” he said. Schifano said blood banks all over the country typically have less blood right after the holidays, but these all time lows in blood supply could get worse. “If donors did not show up the way they usually do, it could get into dangerous territory for patients,” Schifano said. He said Lifeline provides blood to 10,000 patients each year and serve 19 West Tennessee hospitals. They will be extending their hours this week, hoping to reach their quota for negative blood types. “We usually prepare for that by collecting more in October and November and we did. Unfortunately, the RH negative types are still being used at a higher rate than what we’re collecting,” Schifano said. WBBJ tried to get in touch with American Red Cross for a check on their supply, but did not get a response on whether or not they also have a blood shortage.
