St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center (SMMC) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to transition blood collection operations to Vitalant, the nation's largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider. The St. Mary’s Blood Donor Center at the Pavilion will continue to collect and provide blood products during the transition to Vitalant, which is expected to be complete by September of 2022.
“Over the years, operational requirements implemented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have increased the complexity of operating a blood donor center within a hospital,” said Bryan Johnson, President of St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center. “Utilizing the expertise of a blood collection organization that has a sole focus on blood supply and donor management makes the most effective and efficient use of the community blood supply. It also allows us to further focus on our specialty and passion—patient care.”
Donors shouldn’t notice any changes and are still very much needed. St. Mary’s blood donor center continues to supply blood for trauma and burn patients, premature infants, heart surgery patients, organ transplant recipients, and people fighting cancer. In the coming months, Vitalant will provide the Grand Junction area donation opportunities to ensure a seamless transition and continue to adequately supply patients.
“Vitalant has a long-standing relationship with St. Mary’s, and we are excited to serve the Grand Junction community and its dedicated donors,” Vitalant Mountain Division Vice President Anne Burtchaell said. “We are thrilled to represent the entire Colorado footprint and to ultimately help more patients in need.”
About SCL Health
SCL Health is a faith-based, nonprofit healthcare organization dedicated to improving the health of the people and communities we serve. Founded by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth in 1864, our health network provides comprehensive, coordinated care through eight hospitals, 150 physician clinics, home health, hospice, mental health, and safety-net services in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Kansas. To learn more about SCL Health, visit www.sclhealth.org.
About Vitalant
Vitalant (“Vye-TAL-ent”) is the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider exclusively focused on providing lifesaving blood and comprehensive transfusion medicine services for about 900 hospitals and their patients across the U.S. Every day, Vitalant needs to collect about 5,300 blood, platelet, and plasma donations to help save lives. For more information and to schedule a donation appointment, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.