Summer slowdown

By HEATHER URQUIDES, Times Staff Writer
Published August 6, 2007

Pedestrians walk by the Florida Blood Services bloodmobile as its holds a blood drive. The Tampa Bay region has reached critical levels as it currently has a 1 day supply of Type "O" as well as a 1 1/2 day supply of all other blood types. The goal is to have a 3-5 day supply.
	[Atoyia Deans | Times]

J.B. Gaskins is the blood man. As vice president of donor systems for Florida Blood Services, he knows pretty much everything about the local blood supply. ¶ Like how it costs $100 to draw, test and deliver a unit of blood. Or that 750 is the magic number. That's how many donors they need daily to match demand at Tampa Bay area hospitals. ¶ Gaskins talked with the St. Petersburg Times recently, happy for the free publicity because August is one of toughest months.

You need 750 donors a day to meet demand. Do you usually get that many?

We've been holding our own up until this last week. The numbers have been dwindling. Not only are the schools out, but now lots of parents who are donors are going on vacation with their kids. Companies we do blood drives at aren't having the same turnouts.

We often hear about blood shortages. Have you ever run out?

The hospitals, to my knowledge, have not run out. In some cases, they'll switch blood types. The last time I know they had to cancel or postpone surgeries because of a severe blood shortage was in February 2001.

Why then?

February, that season, is always the most critical for us, through about April. But then, as our northern residents start to leave, our need drops a little bit.

What's the shelf life for blood?

It's only good for 42 days. Platelets, which are used for bleeding and cancer victims, are only good for five to seven days.

Why do you think more people don't donate?

I think a lot of people don't donate because they sincerely believe that someone else is doing it so they don't need to.

How does the Tampa Bay area compare nationally in blood donations? Are we generous or stingy?

The national average is about 5 percent (of eligible donors will give). We hover right around that, 5 to 6 percent. Our usage is higher than average because of the medical expertise (in the area). Tampa General Hospital is always in the top 10 in organ transplants every year. They're a regional trauma center. They're a burn center. They use an enormous amount of blood. Then there's the Moffitt Cancer Center. We also have one of the busiest VA hospitals in the nation. You have to remember we really service an area much larger than just the Tampa Bay area. People come from Lakeland, Orlando, Sarasota ...

Where does your revenue come from? Do hospitals pay for blood?

Hospitals reimburse us for what it costs to draw, test, process and distribute the blood. A lot of people say, "I donate my blood, so why would there be a charge for it?" ... It costs $100 per unit of blood to draw, process, test and distribute to our hospitals. (Hospitals pay about $126 for each unit of blood.)

What the hospital charges on their bills will be quite different. I've had people call me and say I had a bill here for $500 for a unit blood. I say, "That has nothing to do with us."

Fast Facts:

Want to donate?

Prospective donors may call 1-800-682-5663 or visit www.fbsblood.org for information regarding donation requirements and locations.

[Last modified August 5, 2007, 21:47:06]