Hospital highlights

Did you know that January is national Blood Donor Month? Blood products are used in a variety of situations and can be planned (major surgery or cancer) or unexpected (newborn or trauma). The blood used in an emergency is already on the shelves before the event occurs.

The blood type most often requested by hospitals is Type O. Only 7 percent of people in the U.S. have O-negative blood type. O-negative blood type donors are universal donors as their blood can be given to people of all blood types. Type O-negative blood is needed in emergencies before the patient’s blood type is known and with newborns who need blood.

Blood donation is a simple four-step process: registration, medical history and mini-physical, donation and refreshments. I am a blood donor and strongly encourage you to consider it. The staff at the Inland Northwest Blood Center, which serves our community, are our experts. The needlestick is quick and almost painless.

INBC will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 20, 2014, at Whitman Hospital’s Administration Annex. To make an appointment to donate blood, go to http://www.inbcsaves.org or call 800-423-0151. I encourage you to make your appointment today.

Debbie Glass, CEO

Whitman Hospital and Medical Center