Blood Transfusion Costs Cut; 2 Hospitals Ask 2 Pints for 1

Knoxville News-Sentinel, September 13, 1950 [page not indicated on clipping]

Service charges and other costs for blood transfusions have been reduced in some Knoxville hospitals, but two hospitals are now requiring two-for-one blood replacements.

That is, at these hospitals a patient must either pay a cash fee for blood supplied him, or arrange for donors to give twice as much blood as he has used.

Baptist Hospital requires two-for-one replacements for the first three units and then one-for-one replacement. St. Mary’s require two-for-one for the first transfusion and one-for-one thereafter.

Charge $35 per Pint

For Sanders and General require one-for-one replacement for all transfusions.

Fort Sanders, Baptist and St. Mary’s all charge the patient $35 for each pint of blood unless it is replaced by voluntary donors. General charges the patient $25 per pint unless it is replaced.

General’s typing, cross-matching and other laboratory fees amount to $15 for each transfusion. Baptist service charges are $10 for the first transfusion and $5 for each additional one.

St. Mary’s also charges $15 for each service plus a $5 operating room fee, and Fort Sanders charges $17.50 for each unit test and cross-matching.

Charges listed against the patients for purchase of blood automatically are eliminated when the proper number of replacement donations are made.

Dr. George S. Mahon, director of St. Mary’s bank, said that since the bank opened in 1949 reductions have been made in both the replacement requirements and the overall service charges.