provided by BAYCARE
Winter Haven, Fla. – Winter Haven Hospital Community Blood Center (WHHCBC) has signed an agreement to transition its operations to OneBlood.
“The time is right for the blood center to take this step and OneBlood is the right partner,” said Tom Garthwaite, President of Winter Haven Hospital and Winter Haven Women’s Hospital.
The blood center has been part of Winter Haven Hospital, Inc. operations since 1953. Originally, it served the blood supply needs of patients and hospitals for all eastern Polk County. Recently, it has been the key supplier of blood products to Winter Haven Hospital and Winter Haven Women’s Hospital. The blood center has been a proud member of the Blood Centers of America and supported many national campaigns to collect blood products for emergencies and crises.
Industries of both hospital and blood supply have changed greatly over the years. Because of that, OneBlood and Winter Haven Hospital came together to seek out a way to continue to serve our patients with safe, available and affordable blood.
“When we considered all factors, we decided OneBlood is better positioned to collect and distribute blood products for our hospitals,” Garthwaite said. “Having a unified approach to the blood supply for the entire BayCare Health System will allow us to provide safe, available and affordable blood even more effectively and efficiently for the patients we serve.”
OneBlood has been the blood provider for BayCare Health System’s other 14 hospitals in Florida and also operates services for patient transfusion compatibility at two BayCare hospitals.
“OneBlood has a long-standing partnership with BayCare Health System. We welcome the opportunity to increase donor outreach in the Winter Haven area and further ensure a safe and available blood supply for the entire BayCare Health System and their patients,” said George “Bud” Scholl, OneBlood President and Chief Executive Officer.
A complete rebranding of WHHCBC will begin immediately, including transforming WHHCBC’s bloodmobiles into OneBlood’s signature Big Red Bus. Additionally, an enhanced donor recognition program will be introduced, as well as a new website experience with an online donor portal that offers blood donors easy access to schedule appointments, view their donation history, track their health information and even learn when their donation is on the way to a patient and which hospital it went to.
