TULSA, Okla. — Our Blood Institute is facing a critical shortage that forced the nonprofit to outsource blood supplies from the East Coast, as the need from local hospitals increases.
The organization set a goal of collecting 1,200 donations per day statewide, but said recently, hospitals are outpacing what locals are supplying.
OBI said it primarily needs O-negative blood, the universal blood type. However, all donor types can help address the shortage.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the United States needs blood or platelets every two seconds.
OBI serves as Oklahoma's primary blood collection and distribution network. OBI said 95% of blood collected in Oklahoma stays in Oklahoma.
"We are intent on what we do and also making sure if we're asking to do blood drives with you and committing as a community that, as the Oklahoma Standard, we step up. We help locally and give back to our community, and help provide what's needed for our hospitals," said Elizabeth Glover, Executive Director of the Tulsa branch.
The blood collection process includes the initial donation, then each donation is tested for a panel of things before being sent to the hospitals.
OBI's Tulsa location supplies blood to approximately 50 local medical sites throughout the region and 160 statewide. The organization collects various types of donations, including platelets, whole blood, double red cells, and plasma.
Before donating, each potential donor undergoes screening and a quick physical examination. OBI officials said some donation rules have been updated, allowing more people to qualify as donors than in previous years.
OBI said if you aren't sure, you can donate their staff will take all the proper steps, letting you know if you qualify.
After your donation, if the panel shows anything out of the ordinary and they can't use your blood, you will be notified.
If you would like to donate, click here.
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