Memorial Health Selects The Blood Connection as Exclusive Provider of Lifesaving Blood Products

2024-01-16

Community Blood Center Expanding Efforts to Recruit Local Volunteer Blood Donors

SAVANNAH, Ga. and VIDALIA, Ga., Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Blood Connection (TBC), Savannah's and Vidalia's non-profit community blood center, has been selected as the sole blood provider for Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia and Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia, Georgia.

Building upon their existing relationship with the Savannah and Vidalia communities, TBC has been chosen to be the exclusive provider of blood products to Memorial Health University Medical Center and Memorial Health Meadows Hospital because of the organization's proven ability to ensure availability of an adequate and stable blood supply. This agreement is also part of a larger partnership with HCA Healthcare, making TBC the sole provider for several other hospitals across the region.

Last year, both hospitals collectively helped to save more than 950 lives from blood drives held in Savannah and Vidalia, Georgia.

To increase efforts in recruiting local, volunteer blood donors in these communities, TBC is working on hosting more mobile blood drives in the Savannah and Vidalia areas, in addition to continuing to operate its blood donation center located at 1915 East Victory Drive, Suite 2A, Savannah, Georgia 31404.

"The Blood Connection is proud to serve the Savannah and Vidalia areas, Memorial Health University Medical Center and Memorial Health Meadows Hospital. This partnership will ensure there are enough lifesaving blood products for every patient in need," said President & CEO of the Blood Connection, Delisa English. "We are thankful to our current blood donors and look forward to connecting with other community members and organizations who are willing to support this partnership and the local blood supply by donating blood and sponsoring blood drives with The Blood Connection."

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion while only three percent of the eligible population donates. Around 4.5 million Americans will be impacted by a blood donation every year. Surgery patients, accident victims, patients with cancer and newborn babies all rely on the local blood supply. Although TBC is responsible for keeping the blood supply stable, it cannot replicate blood; it must be donated. TBC urges the community to donate blood to ensure that hospitals' needs are uninterrupted. It's neighbors like these who are impacted by blood donors.

To find a TBC donation center or mobile blood drive near you and donate blood, visit www.thebloodconnection.org/donate. To host a blood drive with TBC, visit www.thebloodconnection.org/host.

About The Blood Connection

Founded in Greenville, SC, (formerly the Carolina Georgia Blood Center) The Blood Connection has been committed to saving lives since 1962. TBC is an independently managed, not-for-profit, community blood center that provides blood products to over 120 hospitals within Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Congress for its dedication to disaster preparedness and the community, TBC works diligently to collect blood from volunteer donors to meet the ever-increasing demand. By keeping collections local, TBC serves hundreds of thousands of patients a year in its communities. TBC is licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit thebloodconnection.org.

About HCA Healthcare

Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services comprising 182 hospitals and approximately 2,300 ambulatory sites of care, including surgery centers, freestanding ERs, urgent care centers, and physician clinics, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine. HCA Healthcare has conducted a number of clinical studies, including one that demonstrated that full-term delivery is healthier than early elective delivery of babies and another that identified a clinical protocol that can reduce bloodstream infections in ICU patients by 44%. HCA Healthcare is a learning health system that uses its more than 37 million annual patient encounters to advance science, improve patient care and save lives.

TBC Contact: Ellen Kirtner

Tel: (984) 222-1104

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE The Blood Connection, Inc.