Cookeville Regional Medical Center has no plans of canceling or postponing elective surgeries amid low blood inventory across the region.
Blood Assurance announced late Thursday they had asked the hospitals served across the region to postpone elective surgeries until the blood supply is replenished. Snow and cold have cancelled blood drives and kept residents from visiting the blood center.
A CRMC Spokesperson said the facility highly encourages the community to donate blood and help replenish the supply of usable blood.
As of Thursday afternoon, Blood Assurance has only a half-day supply of most types of blood on its shelves. O-negative and O-positive are in limited supply, the most common blood types for transfusions.
Blood Assurance recommended to over 70 medical centers that they postpone elective surgeries until at least Wednesday, January 24.