Versiti Blood Center of Indiana is excited to announce a partnership with Columbus Regional Health (CRH) to raise awareness about the need for lifesaving blood donations in southeastern Indiana. CRH will join Versiti to sponsor a reoccurring monthly blood drive at The Commons in downtown Columbus. The organization currently hosts weekly and monthly on-campus drives, open to employees and visitors.
"Columbus Regional Health has been a long-time advocate for blood donation in southeastern Indiana. We are excited to partner together to better serve donors and patients in the region,” said Penny Schroeder, area vice president and director of donor services, Versiti. “Being able to offer more opportunities for blood donation will allow Versiti to meet the needs of patients of Columbus Regional Health at an even higher capacity.”
“We have successfully partnered with Versiti for many years to provide lifesaving blood components including red cells, platelets, and plasma for the treatment and health of our community members,” said Dr. Pam Robertson, pathologist at Columbus Regional Health. “This partnership is essential to the ongoing care of our oncology patients and supports our surgical and emergency room physicians, allowing for responsive, exemplary care in the area we serve. We are able to keep our blood bank stocked for those in need in a timely manner which is often a critical point for a positive outcome.”
Upcoming Columbus Community blood drives, sponsored by Columbus Regional Health, include:
Columbus Apheresis Bloodmobile at Columbus Regional Health
Every Monday from 12 p.m. To 7:30 p.m.
The Commons (300 Washington St.)
Thursday, June 30
Tuesday, July 5
*Times vary
Columbus Regional Health (2400 17TH STREET)
Thursday, August 18
Friday, August 19
*Times vary
To learn more or make an appointment to donate lifesaving blood, call 1-800-632-4722 or visit Versiti.org/IN.
Versiti Blood Center of Indiana provides blood and blood products to 90 hospital partners throughout the state. To maintain a safe blood supply, Versiti Blood Center Indiana needs to see more than 2,500 donors every week. One donation of blood, which takes less than one hour, can help save up to three lives.
Giving blood is easy — and important.
- The donation process, including registration and testing, takes about an hour. Because blood and fluids are constantly replaced by your body, blood donation doesn’t take a major toll on the human body.
- Every two seconds, someone needs lifesaving blood to survive. One donation can save up to three lives.
- There is no substitute for blood donation — blood cannot be manufactured.
More information about blood donation and the role of community blood centers is available online at Versiti.org/blood-donation.
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About Versiti Blood Center of Indiana
More than 90,000 Indiana residents each year give blood through Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, formerly Indiana Blood Center, a non-profit organization founded in 1952 that operates blood donation centers in Indianapolis, Fishers, Carmel, Greenwood, Lafayette and Terre Haute. The center also operates thousands of mobile and community blood drives each year throughout the state. Versiti provides a continuous and safe supply of blood and biological services to more than 90 Indiana hospitals and their patients and beyond.
About Columbus Regional Health
Columbus Regional Health is a system serving a 10-county region in southeastern Indiana. We hold a more than 100-year history as the local, independent healthcare provider in our service area. Columbus Regional Health contains more than 2,400 employees, 225 physicians on medical staff and 250 volunteers. Columbus Region Hospital, the system’s flagship facility, is a 225-bed not-for-profit, providing emergency and surgical services and comprehensive care in numerous specialty areas.
Columbus Regional Health Physicians offers a network of primary and specialty care physicians. Our health system is pleased to offer one, unified electronic medical record system, Epic, for inpatient and outpatient services.
As the face of healthcare changes, Columbus Regional Health aims to not only maintain our status as a top healthcare provider in Indiana, but our teams are achieving what it means to provide the best in healthcare on a national level, too. IBM Watson Health named Columbus Regional one of the 50 Top Hospitals for Cardiovascular Care for 2020. We have been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for outstanding patient-centered medical home practices. We have a history of numerous distinctions, including the AHA Quest for Quality Prize. Our culture inspires us to stay abreast of the newest medical technologies and procedures, and to strive for constant improvements. Columbus Regional Health also maintains more than 40 diverse accreditations and certifications for quality, safety and security, privacy and patient experience on an annual basis.
About Columbus
Columbus, Indiana, with a population of about 45,000 is known for artistic and architectural appeal. Columbus is ranked sixth in the nation for Architectural Innovation and Design by the American Institute of Architects, right behind Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington DC.
The community is home to seven buildings designated as National Historic Landmarks by the National Park Service and most of structures in the downtown are on the National Register of Historic Places. Columbus is proud to be a welcoming place for residents and visitors alike, and strives to be the best community of its size in the nation.