(Sioux City)– A merger between two Iowa blood centers could be in the works.
Officials with the Siouxland Community Blood Bank based in Sioux City and the Blood Center of Iowa say they’re looking into the possibility to help contain healthcare costs by reducing the cost of a unit of blood by consolidating functions such as medical and technical expertise, information technology and human resources.
They say combining the operations would also give them a leg-up on marketing, acquiring blood banking equipment, and in obtaining supplies and testing protocols.
They add such a merger would be transparent to donors, with each organization retaining its local presence in the communities they serve.
Officials say the final decision to combine will be based on results of a benefits analysis being completed by each blood center.
Siouxland Community Bloodbank supplies blood and blood products to 37 hospitals in northwest Iowa, northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota, including several locally.
