New Effort Tracks Blood Usage to Predict Demand, Avoid Shortages

In an all-encompassing effort, the Harris County Medical Society has begun collecting aggregate blood data on usage, inventory and projected collections from the five blood collecting organizations in Houston and the surrounding area.

Data will be analyzed so the groups can better predict demand and shortages. The five groups are: Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, The Methodist Hospital, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

"Over the years, the groups have worked together to solve their common problem – keeping an adequate blood supply on the shelves," said Dr. Susan Dobbs Curling, medical society president. "The medical community shares in this interest."

In the last year, surgical operations were postponed due to shortages, and after a weekend with a few major traumas, the supply of O negative blood for the entire community was nearly depleted.

"By their actions after the Sept. 11 events, the public has shown they are willing to contribute when necessary," said Dr. Dobbs Curling. It is our duty to give them better information about the timing of critical needs. We are currently in a state of disaster preparedness. More than ever, we must now have an adequate supply of blood products on the shelves at all times. Otherwise, a terrorist attack or major traffic accident or other disaster will find doctors with life-saving equipment and personnel, but no life-sustaining blood."

More than 700 individual units of blood donations are needed daily in the Greater Houston area. These needs arise from trauma accidents, surgeries, cancer care, burn treatments, and other medical treatments requiring the administration of blood and blood components. The demand for treatments calling for transfusion therapy has never been greater and it continues to grow. Last year, patients in the Texas Gulf Coast region used more than 685,000 units of blood and blood components.

"The shelf life for blood is only six weeks and it’s five days for platelets; therefore, waiting for a national disaster to occur is not the answer, as the blood is soon gone," said Dr. Dobbs Curling. "The patriotic effort of blood donation must be continuous."

Giving blood in routine circumstances requires about 45 minutes. Donors must be in good general health, weigh at least 110 pou and be at least 17 years old. Donors are eligible to give blood every eight weeks.

"Giving blood is truly the gift of life. There is no substitute," said Dr. Dobbs Curling. "The need for blood never takes a holiday. Please give blood and give it often. Less than 5 percent of the public donates blood. We can do better, and it is our duty to each other to do so. We can’t operate without you."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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