NYS blood emergency not affecting Long Island hospitals, officials say

A sharp drop in donations has prompted the New York Blood Center to declare a statewide blood emergency, but Long Island hospitals insist that their supply remains stable and that patient safety is not in jeopardy.

A blood emergency is declared when there is less than a three-day supply of critical blood types available across the region.

The shortfall, NYCB officials said, has prompted New York to turn to neighboring states to supplement their blood supply — a move that officials contend is unsustainable for a region with some of the busiest hospitals in the nation.

The state is currently short by nearly 390,000 blood donors, officials said, and desperately needs to replenish its supply, particularly during the warmer summer months when accidents and trauma-related injuries are more prevalent.

"There is always a backup plan," said Doreen Fiscina, manager of business development at NYBC. "So there is never a point where people should worry that the blood won't be there if they need it. But I think that people should really take a close look at the needs of the Blood Center and say, ‘If that were me, I would want [blood] to be on the shelves ... So let me donate.’ ”

Only 2% of New York's population of roughly 19.5 million residents typically donate blood, NYCB officials said, compared with the national average of 3%.

To reliably meet the needs of patients, at least 4% of the population, or about 780,000 active donors, are needed in New York, officials said.

"You have a lot of families where both parents work," Fiscina said. "Some of them might work two jobs. And the time that they have is very limited. So it doesn't allow for that [blood donation] participation."

Dr. Vishesh Chhibber, a blood banking and transfusion medicine physician at Northwell Health, said Long Island's largest hospital chain has not seen a significant change in recent weeks in its blood supply.

"Currently, we're doing pretty well," Chhibber said. "We're at par levels at all of our hospitals. We know this is a challenge around the holidays and around the summer. So we have strategies in place to mitigate these shortages as much as possible."

Damian Becker, a spokesman for Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, said the blood supply there has not been affected by the statewide shortage.

Meanwhile, Stony Brook University Hospital is one of the few medical facilities on Long Island with its own blood donor program.

"There is currently a critical need for all blood types," Stony Brook's Blood Donor Center said in a statement. "We generally see a decrease in blood donation around the holidays and throughout the summer months. We urge everyone who may be eligible to donate to come out when possible."

Blood supplies typically tend to decline in the warmer summer months due to school breaks, travel and holiday schedules, while remote work schedules and a difficult business climate have led fewer companies to host blood drives, Fiscina said.

Projections for June show that 5,000 additional donations are urgently needed, requiring more than 100 new blood drives to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month.

In addition to units collected locally, hospitals across the state receive blood from national suppliers such as the New York Blood Center, the American Red Cross and Metro Blood Service. When needed, they'll also obtain units from locations across the country, and in the case of very rare types, worldwide, according to the state Health Department.

"As blood donations continue to decline across the state, I urge all eligible New Yorkers to rise to the occasion and give the gift of life," state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement. "Each pint of blood is more than just a donation — it’s a lifeline to someone battling illness, undergoing surgery, or recovering from trauma. Your act of generosity today holds the power to save a life tomorrow."

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.