INDIANAPOLIS — The entire state is in dire need of blood donations.
In an emergency notice from Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, state hospitals are facing a potential crisis with blood supplies dropping to critically low levels.
"We still need donations quite desperately, and will for the foreseeable future until levels improve," a Versiti spokesperson told WRTV.
Versiti reports that Indiana has less than a day's supply of blood to serve more than 90 hospitals in Indiana. Typically, Versiti strives to have a three-day supply of blood available.
“Versiti Blood Center of Indiana is urgently seeking help from the public. We need to do all we can to ensure that Indiana hospitals have the blood they need for their patients,” Dr. Dan Waxman, the vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti, said. “As more people are getting vaccinated and getting out of their homes, attention has shifted away from blood donation. On top of that, drives at schools and businesses, which are typically Versiti’s largest source of blood donations this time of year, have been canceled. All of this is creating a crisis situation – a shortage of much-needed blood.”
Versiti is down more than 40% in donations for the first quarter compared to last year. That's nearly 20,000 units of blood.
According to Versiti, O-negative and O-positive blood donors are most needed now. O-negative and O-positive blood is the universal blood type, meaning donations can be transfused to all patients, including trauma victims, cancer patients and those undergoing surgery.
Those seeking to donate can visit a Versiti Blood Center at:
- INDIANAPOLIS: 3450 N. Meridian St.
- FISHERS: 11005 Allisonville Road
- CARMEL: 726 Adams St., Suite 150
- GREENWOOD: 8739 U.S. 31 South
- TERRE HAUTE: 2021 S. Third St.
- LAFAYETTE: 2200 Elmwood Ave., Suite D-16
Hoosiers can also make an appointment online.
