Mission Health Signs New Contract with The Blood Connection

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 29, 2014) – Mission Health and The Blood Connection of Greenville, South Carolina have entered into an agreement through which The Blood Connection will be the sole provider of blood to Mission Health, as well as conducting local blood drives in all areas where Mission Health is present.  This new partnership replaces Mission Health’s previous arrangement with the American Red Cross.  Going forward, it is guaranteed that all blood donated stays here locally for the benefit of the community. 

“The decision to change blood suppliers was not based on quality reasons as much as it was about the availability of products,” said Priscilla Cherry, System Executive Director of Laboratory Services, Mission Health.  “Our patients can be assured that the blood supplied for Mission Health has always been of the safest and highest quality.  We are excited to begin this new partnership with The Blood Connection and anticipate many years of successful collaboration.”

Founded in 1979, The Blood Connection is a community blood center that collects, processes and distributes blood products and services for local and regional hospitals.  The Blood Connection centralizes donor recruitment, blood collection and inventory management to more efficiently reduce waste, prevent delayed surgeries and provide local hospitals with efficiencies.  These initiatives also allow for unparalleled cost reductions, all closely mirroring Mission Health’s BIG(GER) Aim: to get each patient to the desired outcome, first without harm, also without waste and with an exceptional experience for the patient and family.

“It is our true honor to be partnering with Mission Health,” said Delisa English, President and CEO, The Blood Connection.  “We are committed to providing excellent blood products and services to the hospitals and communities we serve.  Thank you for entrusting us with this opportunity.” 

For more information about The Blood Connection, visit www.thebloodconnection.org.  For more information about upcoming Mission Health blood drives, call One-Call Scheduling at 828-213-2222, option 2. 

About Mission Health

Mission Health, based in Asheville, North Carolina, is the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only not-for-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in western North Carolina. Mission Health has been recognized as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems 2012-2014 by Truven Health Analytics, formerly Thomson Reuters. Mission Health is the only medium-sized health system to receive this recognition three years in a row, and the only health system in North Carolina to achieve that distinction. 

Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates six hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers, post-acute care provider CarePartners, long-term acute care provider Asheville Specialty Hospital and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in more than 50 medical specialties and sub-specialties. Mission Health has seven Centers of Excellence: Cancer, Heart, Mission Children’s Hospital, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Trauma and Women’s Health. Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 795 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care. It also includes Mission Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, Highlands-Cashiers Hospital in Highlands, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. With approximately 10,600 employees and 2,000 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit mission-health.org or @MissionHealthNC.