The National Blood Data Resource Center conducts a nationwide survey of all blood collected and transfused biennially, or every two years.

The primary purpose of this survey is to:

Nearly 1,900 hospitals and 143 blood collection centers participated in the most recent nationwide survey conducted in 2000. The results indicated that a total of 13.9 million units of whole blood were collected by U.S. domestic blood centers and hospitals in 1999. This was an increase of 10% from 1997.

During the same period, U.S. hospitals transfused 12.4 million units of whole blood and red blood cells (one of the components that result from the processing of whole blood). This is an increase of 8% when compared to 1997 transfusions, which is statistically significant (p=0.031).

The results of the 2000 nationwide survey are detailed in the Report on Blood Collection and Transfusion in the United States in 1999.

The next Nationwide Blood Collection and Utilization Survey will be distributed in February 2002, and the results will be available to NBDRC members and customers in early 2003.