Beginning July 1, Blood Assurance will become the primary supplier of blood and blood products to VUMC.
Jennifer Andrews, MD, Msc, the medical director of the Blood Bank and associate professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, noted that Blood Assurance guarantees that blood donated at VUMC blood drives will be used for patients at Vanderbilt. It is also possible for donors at any Middle Tennessee Blood Assurance drive to designate the donated blood for VUMC.
The importance of blood products and blood donation are especially acute during “trauma season,” those warm months of summer holidays and summer vacations, when trauma injuries are more likely and blood is more likely to be needed.
“Summer is when we use the most trauma blood,” she said. “The time around July 4 is an especially busy time for trauma, and that time is when we need a lot of blood.”
Andrews said that donors who give blood in the weeks leading up to the busy holiday can assure a ready supply of blood is available when it is most needed.
“VUMC needs a constant supply of blood to take care of our patients, including solid organ transplant recipients, our patients with cancer, mothers delivering babies who have unexpected hemorrhages, and, of course, as we serve the community as its only Level I trauma center,” she said.
Upcoming VUMC blood drives
Blood Assurance: June 13, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital
Blood Assurance: June 26, Light Hall 415
Red Cross: June 28 in Light Hall
Blood Assurance: July 1, Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital
In addition, if you give blood at one of these Blood Assurance locations, you can have your donation credited to VUMC.
- Blood Assurance Cool Springs, 600 Frazier Drive in Franklin.
- Blood Assurance Hermitage, 4686 Lebanon Pike in Hermitage.
- Blood Assurance Bellevue, 7112 Highway 70 South.
- Blood Assurance Tullahoma, 604 North Jackson Street.
The VUMC dedicated blood drive page, which is regularly updated with the latest blood drive locations, is here.
