2001.08.20:New Sentinel System Will Monitor U.S. Blood Supply

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Aug. 20, 2001

Contact:

HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343

NEW SENTINEL SYSTEM WILL MONITOR U.S. BLOOD SUPPLY
Includes Plans for Web Site to be Available for the Public

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced that a new "real time" monitoring network is being launched to measure the blood supply in key local areas, regions and nationwide. The new sentinel system will receive daily reports from selected hospitals and will measure current demand as well as supply on hand, giving hospitals and blood suppliers a more useful picture of supplies and possible emerging problems.

"Our nation's blood supply network needs good, current information if it is to operate with maximum effectiveness," Secretary Thompson said. "This new system will be unlike anything we've had before in providing widely available, real-time information on both supply and demand for blood and blood products."

The system is to include 29 hospitals, which will provide their daily reports to HHS. They are located in Boston, New York, Pittsburgh,Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Mobile, New Orleans, Dallas, Chicago, Indianapolis, Iowa City, Minneapolis, Bismark, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles and Tucson. Contracts with the hospitals are being signed currently, and the new system will be discussed at a meeting of the HHS Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability Aug. 24 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Hotel, beginning at 9 a.m.

Exact plans for compiling and sharing the "sentinel" information will be developed over the coming weeks as the information begins to be provided. Ultimately, HHS plans to make the information available on a public Web site.

"The Web site will provide easy access to the information for all interested health care providers and blood collection agencies, and we hope it will also help raise awareness in the public of the always-important need for blood donation," Secretary Thompson said.

The new system is being implemented at a cost of about $350,000 per year.

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news.

NEW SENTINEL SYSTEM WILL MONITOR U.S. BLOOD SUPPLY Includes Plans for Web Site to be Available for the Public

NEW SENTINEL SYSTEM WILL MONITOR U.S. BLOOD SUPPLY
Includes Plans for Web Site to be Available for the Public