Mercy Medical Center partners with
Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center
CEDAR RAPIDS – Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, has begun a new partnership with the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC), a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Davenport, Iowa.
MVRBC will operate the blood donor service under the Mercy Blood Bank name and will strengthen and enhance the level of services provided to the community.
Many hospitals across the country have similar partnerships in order to meet the growing complexity of blood screening and testing processes.
“We have worked with Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center for a number of years and we have an excellent working relationship,” said A. James Tinker, Mercy’s president and CEO. “We have great confidence in its expertise, its commitment to the highest levels of quality and service, and its ability to ensure the availability of an ample and safe blood supply.”
The partnership between Mercy and MVRBC will allow the hospital to continue to focus its efforts on delivering quality health care to its patients. MVRBC is licensed by the United States Food & Drug Administration and is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks. The organization collects more than 125,000 units of blood products annually. It operates in 43 hospitals in 35 counties throughout Eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwestern Wisconsin.
“Technological advances in the blood industry will continue to come at a faster rate,” said David Green, MVRBC president and CEO. “Our mission is to provide world-class blood products and services to communities in need.”
Many aspects of the donor program will appear the same to donors including the continuation of the recognition program, which credits donors for their past donations at the Mercy Blood Bank. In addition, it’s anticipated that the mobile blood drives conducted with St. Luke’s Hospital will continue.
Collection of donations in the existing Mercy donor room will begin April 24, 2006, following the completion of the room’s renovation. Call 1-800-747-5401, ext. 119, if you would like to make an appointment to donate blood.
“The gift of blood by our donors represents a tremendous service to the community and it’s of vital importance in our ability to serve the needs of Mercy patients,” said Dr. Julie Netser, medical director of Laboratory Services at Mercy. “We thank our donors and look forward to continuing to serve them, our patients and our community in partnership with MVRBC.”
Last year, nearly 5,000 people donated blood and platelets through Mercy’s blood bank. Blood banks at Mercy and St. Luke’s cooperate in collecting, storing and making blood available to patients. One donation of blood can save as many as four lives. Still, less than 5 percent of the eligible donor population gives blood. The need exists for more people to donate blood, and for people to donate more often.
