KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI) — MEDIC Regional Blood Center is reassuring patients and donors that blood supplies in East Tennessee remain stable despite a national emergency blood shortage declaration issued by the American Red Cross.
In a statement released Monday, MEDIC emphasized that the Red Cross announcement does not reflect blood inventories maintained by independent community blood centers, including MEDIC, which serves hospitals throughout East Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky.
“The ARC blood supply is not associated with independent blood centers and specifically our area of the country as MEDIC is the provider of products,” MEDIC said.
MEDIC officials noted that the organization operates independently from the American Red Cross and does not partner with the national organization in collecting or distributing blood products.
The blood center also stressed that the American Red Cross does not supply hospitals within MEDIC’s service area.
“MEDIC Regional Blood Center is an independent blood center and is not affiliated with the American Red Cross,” the statement said. “The American Red Cross does not supply any of the hospitals in our region.”
MEDIC is the primary provider of blood products for 24 hospitals across 23 counties in East Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky. Hospitals served include:
- University of Tennessee Medical Center
- Covenant Health facilities
- Tennova Healthcare hospitals
- Blount Memorial Hospital
- East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, including Dolly Parton’s Children’s Hospital
While inventory levels are currently stable, MEDIC officials continue to encourage community members to donate blood regularly to help maintain a reliable supply for trauma patients, surgeries, cancer treatments and other medical emergencies.
MEDIC Regional Blood Center is a nonprofit community blood provider and remains the primary source of blood products for hospitals throughout the region.
More information about blood donation opportunities and career openings is available at http://medicblood.org.
