Hoxworth in Critical Need for Blood Donors

CINCINNATI—Hoxworth Blood Center has issued critical appeal for donors with all blood types, especially Type O.

The current shortage can be attributed to a significant increase in blood usage at local hospitals due to recent violent traumas and accidents.

As of Wednesday morning (June 7), the community’s blood supply was down over 350 units (about 35 percent) in Type O, the most common blood type. About 44 percent of the population are either O positive or O negative, which is the blood type used most often at local hospitals and trauma centers.

"We’re asking all individuals to donate at their earliest convenience," said Michael Anderson, spokesperson for Hoxworth. “This situation is very serious, and we do not expect the blood supply to return to normal levels for at least a week.”

If volunteer donors do not help with the critical shortage, blood inventories at local hospitals will be at dangerously low levels.

Hoxworth has not issued a critical appeal for donors since April 2005. 

Examples of recent usage at local hospitals: (one unit = one donor)
•   Multiple gunshot victims: over 300 units (including 95 units of red blood cells, 110 units
    of plasma, 50 units of platelets)
•   Cancer patient: 78 units
•   Liver transplant patient: 57 units
•   Open heart surgery patient: 42 units
•   Automobile accident: 13 units

Greater Cincinnatians are urged to donate at one of Hoxworth’s eight neighborhood donor centers immediately. Appointments in advance are encouraged for quicker service, but walk-in’s will be taken on a first come-first serve basis. Please call (513) 451-0910 or (800) 830-1091 to schedule an appointment.

Hoxworth operates donation centers in Anderson, Blue Ash, UC Academic Health Center, Downtown, Ft. Mitchell, Ft. Thomas, Tri-County and Western Hills. Operating days and hours vary with each center and can be found here.

Hoxworth Blood Center at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center needs to collect from 350 volunteer blood donors and 40 volunteer platelet donors each day to keep up with the demands of tri-state hospitals and their patients.

Hoxworth, founded in 1938, serves 27 hospitals in 17 counties in Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. Annually, Hoxworth collects over 90,000 units of blood from local volunteer donors.