$240,000 Grant Will Help Hospital Partners Save Lives
New Automated Blood Banks Will Increase Safety, Access to Emergency Blood Support
SEATTLE, WA – Seattle-based Bloodworks Northwest is proud to announce a $240,000 grant from the Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound to help Bloodworks Northwest provide a new fleet of live-saving HaemoBank blood dispensers to area hospitals—an “ultra-smart refrigerator” that operates like a highly-computerized vending machine.
The Blood Track HaemoBank Blood Allocation System by Haemonetics is a 24/7 virtual, automated blood bank allowing local hospitals immediate access to a full range of red blood cells types—all tested, and transfusion ready. They are digitally linked directly to Bloodworks Northwest transfusion service labs and backed up by sophisticated tracking and matching systems. That means it takes less than 10 minutes to assign specific units to patient in need. The new HaemoBank machines replace older, larger Haemosafe machines.
The first round of this transition from older Haemosafe machines to the newer, smaller HaemoBank machines began in Monroe where Evergreen Hospital installed a 20 blood unit dispenser. More HaemoBanks will be installed at Virginia Mason in March and later at Snoqualmie Valley Hospital in May 2019. Bloodworks Northwest CEO & President Dr. Jim AuBuchon says, “These machines will have a huge impact on hospitals and help Bloodworks Northwest better serve more rural local hospitals early in 2019. By moving to these newer models with a smaller footprint, we have the opportunity to move into smaller facilities that do not transfuse as many units as larger hospitals. This program allows hospitals have faster access to blood on-site.” Blood transfusions are the most frequently-performed medical procedure that people have during hospital stays. About five million Americans receive transfusions every year. Dr. AuBuchon adds, “We are grateful to The Employees Community Fund of Boeing Puget Sound (ECF) for their generous funding of these lifesaving machines that emphasize safe, quick, and efficient support for our hospital partners and will make more un-cross matched blood readily available to better respond to major emergencies. Bloodworks Northwest is grateful for ECF’s support that will have a big impact on thousands around Puget Sound.”
Patricia Meissner, ECF Board President says, “The $240,000 ECF grant for the new HaemoBank Blood dispensers was made possible by the generous Boeing employees who choose to combine their contributions by giving to ECF, which enables us to make significant grants that keep our communities strong and healthy.”
About BloodworksNW
Bloodworks (formerly Puget Sound Blood Center) is backed by 70 years of Northwest history and 250,000 donors. It is local, nonprofit, independent, volunteer-supported and community-based. A recognized leader in transfusion medicine, Bloodworks serves patients in more than 90 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska — partnering closely with local hospitals to deliver the highest level of patient care. Comprehensive services include blood components, complex cross-matching, specialized lab services for organ transplants, care for patients with blood disorders, and collection of cord blood stem cells for cancer treatment. Bloodworks Research Institute performs leading-edge research in blood biology, transfusion medicine, blood storage and treatment of blood disorders. Patients with traumatic injuries, undergoing surgeries or organ transplantation, or receiving treatment for cancer and blood disorders all depend on our services, expertise, laboratories and research. For more information, visit bloodworksnw.org
