BY LYNNE JETER

When David Allen recently spoke to a group of executives, he asked everyone in the room to raise a hand if they thought their job was tough.

Allen, president and CEO of Mississippi Blood Services (MBS), wasn't surprised to see a number of hands fly up. He then asked the business leaders to imagine a job where, rather than selling a good or service, they had to ask the customer to give them something, a part of themselves. They also had to answer embarrassing questions and endure pain not once, but twice.

"And then," Allen continued, "you had to hope that this customer would come back to see you a couple of times a year to go through this whole process again. Now who thinks they have a tough job?"

Less than 5 percent of the population provides all the blood needed for transfusions, even though 60 percent of the population has the ability to give blood. It is estimated that nearly everyone will need blood at some point by the age of 72.

"The job of collecting blood needed by our hospitals is the most difficult job I've ever had," admitted Allen.

MBS, the only Mississippi-based, FDA-licensed not-for-profit blood center, was established in 1979 when Family Blood Assurance Program and Mississippi Regional Blood Center merged. A founding member of Blood Centers of America headquartered in Providence, R.I. and an active member of America's Blood Centers and American Association of Blood Banks, both headquartered in Washington, D.C., MBS provides a wide range of blood and blood components, reference laboratory and cross matching services, and education and training programs to hospitals and hospital transfusion services.

Last year, MBS collected and processed more than 60,000 units of blood components, and its staff of nearly 200 serviced more than 60 hospitals in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama. To accommodate recent growth, MBS purchased land with plans to relocate in the next few years.

To gear up for National Volunteer Blood Donor Month in January, the MBS staff focused on three aspects of blood collection: donor recruitment and retention; the safety of donors and recipients; and supplying hospitals with a safe and adequate blood supply every day of the year.

To meet the challenge of recruiting and retaining blood donors, MBS holds more than 1,000 blood drives per year. Some of these are "special" drives in various fixed locations throughout the year. During these drives, local personalities broadcast live from the center, and T-shirts and other prizes are used as donor incentives.

"We try to minimize the inconvenience to our donors and maximize the efficiency of drawing blood by making it easier to donate," said Allen.

"We have three fixed sites throughout the state and drawing centers in hospitals throughout the state, which we visit once or twice a month, and donor coaches that travel throughout Mississippi for blood drives. With advance notice, we can hold a blood drive anywhere in the state and those parts of Arkansas and Alabama we serve."

The main collection center in Jackson is open from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours on Thursday until 7 p.m., and from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and by appointment only on Sunday.

"As a way of saying thank you, Mississippi Blood Services provides a 'donor protection' insurance policy for its blood donors against all processing fees and replacement fees for one year should they need blood. This protection begins 15 days after the donation date, with a $10,000 limit per family member," said Allen.

To assure the donor is healthy enough to donate, MBS gives "mini physicals" to each one. Their temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level are all checked each time they visit. This also proves to be a nice incentive for donors to give blood more frequently. Since a safe blood supply is so important, 13 tests are performed on each unit of donated blood.

"There have been instances when MBS donor technicians were instrumental in saving a donor's life," Allen pointed out. "If a donor's blood pressure is extremely high or if a donor's hemoglobin level is extremely low, our medical director is contacted immediately and the donor is referred to an emergency room or his physician."

During every visit, MBS donors are asked a series of questions designated by the FDA. If a donor's response is not in compliance with the FDA's requirements, that donor may be permanently or temporarily deferred from giving blood. MBS electronically tracks each donor's information and a donor who has been deferred will not be able to give at any of its blood collection sites or drives.

"Some deferrals only last a couple of days, such as the deferral for taking antibiotics for a sinus infection," pointed out Allen. "Others may last months, such as the deferral for traveling outside the US."

To meet the needs of service hospitals, MBS maintains a stable supply of all blood types. Hospital Services staff are available to take and fill hospital orders 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"Although AB negative is the rarest blood type among the population, the rarest blood type for MBS is the type that is not on the shelf when it is needed," said Allen. "If blood donors gave two to three times a year, blood shortages could be avoided."

Blood centers across the nation most often experience shortages during the summer and winter months, partly due to the fact that blood centers are not able to visit as many schools and businesses during these times of year. During the winter months, inclement weather and illness account for even more donors not being able to give blood.

"Last December, Kadie Garner received a heart transplant," recalled Allen. "Unfortunately, there were some unexpected bumps in the road and Kadie was hospitalized for over a month. She received over 30 units of blood components during a time when blood donations tend to dwindle. Luckily, blood donors made a point to donate during the holidays and Kadie's needs were met."

"If donors make a New Year's resolution to donate blood at least four times this year — once each season — we could save even more lives."




January 2007