Daily Current Blood Needs

Status Descriptions

Ideal
Our ideal level is to have a three days’ blood supply on our shelves and another three days’ blood supply in the hospitals. We have a continual need for all blood types because blood is constantly being used and needs to be replenished. This is our “normal” status, our constant state if we have no special needs. When we are in this status we are prepared to respond to medical crises as well as meet normalneeds. If we are not drawing enough blood, it places us in URGENT, CRITICAL or EMERGENCY status.

Urgent
Our hospitals are fully stocked but we are low on reserves. When we are in this status, one situation that calls for a great deal of blood (liver transplant, trauma case) can place us in CRITICAL or EMERGENCY status.

Critical
Our hospitals are fully stocked but we have no reserves.

Emergency
Our hospitals are not fully stocked and we do not have the ability to stock them. In this status, we may have to cancel elective surgery and/or look to other communities to import blood.