What’s happening: Following a precipitous decline in blood and platelet inventory, multiple organizations are asking for hospitals’ and health systems’ help in encouraging community members to donate blood or platelets. The most needed donations are platelets, O-positive blood, and O-negative blood.
What else to know: The shortage was caused by record temperatures during summer and recent disruptions in blood collections, which caused the national blood inventory to drop by more than 25% in July.
The American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers, and the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies all separately issued statements urging public donation.
Resources include:
- American Red Cross
- America’s Blood Centers
- Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies
Contact Nancy Foster, American Hospital Association vice president of quality and patient safety policy, at nfoster@aha.org with any questions.
