Blood bank watchword: Better coordination

Task force calls for accurate reporting on the need for blood during a crisis, as well as the promotion of regular donations by the public.

By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. March 18, 2002.

Washington -- There were many health lessons to be learned after Sept. 11, 2001; among them: How to better organize the nation's blood donation system to avoid the confusion and disruption that was evident after the terrorist attacks.

With that end in mind, the nation's major blood banks formed a task force and developed a plan, recently endorsed by the federal government, that is intended to ensure a smoother, better-coordinated response to any future disasters, whether man-made or natural.

"The task force is committed to ensuring that future blood collection efforts run smoothly and are managed properly, with the public receiving clear and consistent messages regarding the status of America's blood supply," said Karen Shoos Lipton, chief executive officer of the American Assn. of Blood Banks. "The best preparation for the next disaster is to ensure that we have adequate blood inventories on our shelves every day in all locations of the country."

In the event of a disaster, the task force has set the first priorities as verifying and communicating to the blood community the medical need for blood, identifying sites with a large inventory of blood and determining the need, if any, for blood to be shipped.

The task force, led by AABB, a professional association of about 2,000 institutions and 8,000 individuals involved in transfusion medicine, would also develop public messages on the need for donors and facilitate the discussion of donor issues.

In the wake of last fall's terrorist attacks, the major blood banks sent conflicting messages on the need for blood. Some called for more donations while others said they had a sufficient supply. [...]