by Laurel Demkovich, Washington State Standard
July 25, 2024
An unexpected effect of last week’s global IT outage: fewer blood donations.
Blood banks in the Northwest are in critically low supply, in part because of the recent CrowdStrike outage that led to scheduling issues and delayed shipments, the Washington State Department of Health said Thursday.
The department put out a call for donations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, especially for type O blood, which makes up 38% of the population but is currently “dangerously low.”
“Your community needs you,” Dr. Kirsten Alcorn, co-chief medical officer at Bloodworks Northwest, said in a statement. “As a blood donor, you’ve already made a huge, lifesaving impact.”
Last Friday, a faulty update from CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity software firm, affected Windows devices across the world, halting flights, disrupting hospital operations and 911 call centers, and pausing other critical business operations.
Bloodworks Northwest alone was forced to cancel 248 donation appointments – one-quarter of that day’s scheduling.
The outage came as blood banks were already experiencing low levels because of a seasonal drop in donations. Summer often means fewer donations as students and workers who regularly donate are on break or traveling.
Summer also means a spike in trauma cases when more people might need access to blood, Alcorn said.
“Running out of gas on your summer road trip is inconvenient, but ensuring our hospitals have enough blood is crucial,” said Michael Martinez of Vitalant’s Spokane region Regional Blood Services.
Bloodworks Northwest and Vitalant are a part of the Northwest Blood Coalition, which is working with the Department of Health on outreach efforts to increase donations.
“You can make a significant impact by donating blood at a center or drive,” Martinez said. “In just one hour, you can help ensure trauma centers have the blood they need to care for patients this summer.”
For those looking to donate, appointments can be made with Vitalant, Cascade Regional Blood Services, Bloodworks Northwest or American Red Cross.
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