When the Waters are Rising and Your Blood Drives

are Disappearing– The Added Value of

Established Programs in Your Hospital.

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

• Located in Iowa City, IA• Population of about 100,000 with the adjacent city

of Coralville and 30,000 students from the University of Iowa

• The Iowa River runs through the middle of town dividing it east to west with 4 bridges spanning the river

• Home to the University of Iowa Hawkeyes-winner of last year’s Outback Bowl

• UIHC is an academic institution with 680 beds and 7,625 employees

The University of Iowa DeGowin Blood Center

• Hospital based blood center that collects blood for patients in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC)

• Established in 1938 and has the distinction of being the first blood center west of the Mississippi

• DeGowin has a fixed site in the hospital-collects 5 days a week

• One mobile collection unit conducts 3-5 blood drives per week

• FY 08 transfused 31,354 blood components

• DeGowin collects approximately half of their red cells and 85-90% of their platelet needs

Flood of 2008

• In June of 2008-Iowa City experienced a 500 year flood as the Iowa River which usually meanders through Iowa City, crested and spilled out of its banks-causing destruction in Iowa City, on the UI campus, and creating major problems for UIHC

Importance of Relationship Building

• When you establish solid relationships, you are building a strong foundation for the future

• May not seem like it at time• When disaster strikes and systems are in

place-the potential for further disaster can be averted

• What began 7 years prior came back to help during the flood of 2008

Go back to August of 2001

• Blood drive with Children’s Miracle Network-honoring Walmart employees

• First In-House blood drive-in high traffic lobby• 80 donors presented-mostly staff and visitors• No event promotion• Stumbled on a gold mine• Hospital had no donation policy-many

employees still chose to donate on work time

History Continued

• Began the third Thursday of the month blood drives

• Every month since August of 2001• Saw high numbers at first then numbers

began to drop off• Moved to a less high traffic area

History Continued

• Expanded with Summer In-House Blood Drive Program

• Departmental partners utilized• Yearly theme• In-House drives held June, July, and August• CEO support • Through this all we are building

relationships with departments, communications, secretary of CEO, and department heads

• Still no formal policy

History Continued

• The blood drives continued with steady progress

• Systematically built relationships and camaraderie

• In 7 years blood drives averaged 35 units/drive resulting in approximately 4000 units of blood collected by setting up in a high profile place in the hospital

Friday, June 13, 2008

• Iowa River cresting• Blood drives canceling• Roads and bridges closing• Power source to the hospital uncertain• Immediate concern-O Neg red cells at

minimum inventory levels

Friday, June 13• Two of the 4 bridges connecting east and west

Iowa City were closed and the 3rd closer imminent• Power plant supplying the hospital power

threatened-although there is emergency power• No danger of the hospital flooding• Interstate I-80 to the east was closed• Interstate I-380 to the north was closed• Traffic gridlocks• Some essential staff arriving by helicopter• Staff homes flooded in Iowa City and Cedar

Rapids where flooding of epic proportions had already occurred

Friday, June 13

• Emergency meeting held to determine how many more drives were likely to cancel

• Best way to bring up levels quickly was to put out plea to hospital staff

• The broadcast specifically addressed donating on work time and encouraged blood donation during the crisis

• The Joint Office of Communication already familiar with our mission from the Summer Blood Drive broadcast and special needs pleas was on board

Lessons Learned from 9/11

• Although the need for blood was crucial and important-is was necessary to be sure to not overdraw-we all know this is a balancing act-especially with platelets and short shelf life-we need to encourage donations at a later date

Friday, June 13

• Despite a 4 hour delay sending out the broadcast

• 35 donors were drawn in 2 hours• Schedules filled for the next few days• UIHC emergency response team made the

decision to cancel all non-essential clinic visits and all non-emergency surgeries until the river crested projected for June 17-still 4 days away

The Weekend

• Sandbagging• Sandbagging• Sandbagging• Began getting calls from blood bank on

Sunday night• Local TV station picked up the internal

broadcast and began scrolling our need for blood.

Monday, June 16

• Only staff essential to patient care were to report for work

• Others advised to stay home or sandbag• The river crested that day-one day earlier

than expected• Water came within 3 inches of closing the

last open bridge

What Worked in our Favor• Clinic visits canceled• Elective surgeries canceled-freeing up staff to donate• 12 OR nurses donated in one day• We were able to add on another blood drive at the

hospital for Tuesday, June 17, 52 donors presented

• Third Thursday drive was that week-space available-June Summer Partner in place

• 87 donors presented• Scroll worked to our benefit-even though we concerned

about the message

Comparison Production Pre and Post Flood-Fixed Site DeGowin Blood Center

Units WB and PLT collected at DeGowin fixed site

Before the Flood June 1-12 ( 9 collection days)

WB

Daily average13 PLT Daily

Average13

WB

Total116 PLT

Total114

Units WB and PLT collected at DeGowin fixed site

After the flood June 13-30 ( 11 collection days)

WB

Daily average24 PLT Daily

Average13

WB

Total264 PLT

Total140

Comparison Production Pre and Post Flood-Fixed Site DeGowin Blood Center

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

WB Total WB Av PLT Total Plt Av

Pre and Post WB and PLT Comparisons

Pre Flood Post Flood

Comparison Blood Drives Pre-Flood to FY07 Same Location Blood Drives

Blood Drive

Units FY 07 Units FY 08 % change

Drive 1 46 53 15%

Drive 2 24 22 -8%

Drive 3 19 13 -32%

Drive 4 18 12 -33%

Drive 5 29 21 -28%

Drive 6 21 22 5%

Totals 157 143 -9%

Comparison Blood Drives Post Flood-Compared to FY 07 Same Location Drives

Blood Drive Units FY 07 Units FY 08 % change

Drive 1 24 postponed #VALUE!

Drive 2 16 33 106%

Drive 3 A 16 postponed #VALUE!

Drive 3 B 79 postponed #VALUE!

Add on 1 NA 45 #VALUE!

UIHC 56 74 32%

Drive 4 *24 CA #VALUE!

Drive 5 34 16 -53%

Drive 6 *24 CA #VALUE!

Drive 7 19 14 -26%

Drive 8 11 15 36%

Total 255 197 -23%

Canceled blood drives

• In the two weeks following June 13-5 blood drives canceled or postponed resulting in approximately 170 lost units of blood

• Blood collected during that time nearly equally that amount-predominately donated by hospital staff

Impressive numbers

• Despite many whose houses were flood• Roads were closed• Family member houses flooded• Sandbagging efforts by most able bodied

people to save the campus and businesses• So in another time and place-would the

numbers be impressive-maybe not-but the take home message is that it sustained us through the most crucial time

Conclusion

• Blood collected during this short period of time from predominately UIHC staff enabled the DeGowin blood center to get through the most critical time of a disaster

Conclusion

• Hospital policy• Barriers• To complicate matters, there was a change in CEO’s

a restructuring of the hospital and a recession.• We haven’t given up hope-but it is not a hospital

priority at this time• Luckily-employees continue to donate and

departments encourage their staff during special promotions-but no official policy to date.

Summary

• Despite hospital policy, the relationships that had been nurtured during the7 years proved effective as a caring staff stepped up-encouraged by the broadcast-to donate and assure the patients at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics would have their needs met. Even though one can present a convincing argument for a much needed policy change, there are still forces at work beyond our control and a the end of the day-

Good will goes a long way!!