(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s blood supply is the lowest it’s been in more than 10 years.
“We have been, at times, down to 55 or 60 percent of our normal inventory,” said Dr. Glenn Ramsey, medical director of the Northwestern Memorial Hospital blood bank. “It begins to be worrisome for us when we get that low.”
Demand is up and supply is down. Dr. Ramsey tells WBBM Newsradio they’ve seen a greater need for blood as more people seek post-pandemic surgeries.
“We're definitely seeing more complicated patients in the last few months,” he said.
Meanwhile, blood suppliers struggle to find donors during a particularly challenging time of year.
“It is summertime, and so lots of people are away or they’re not in school,” Ramsey said.
To conserve as much blood as possible, Northwestern Memorial has adjusted its transfusion procedures. Other hospitals across the country have postponed or canceled surgeries.
“We haven't had to do that yet, but it's certainly a possibility if the blood supply continues to decline,” Ramsey said.
For more information, go to the Red Cross website.
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