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HB 2166

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, requires a blood bank to comply with a physician's order for an autologous blood donation or directed blood donation for a specific patient; requires a hospital to allow a patient who is scheduled for a medical procedure to provide an autologous blood donation or directed blood donation upon order of a physician. - Amends TCA Title 68, Chapter 32.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Jody Barrett

Requires Tennessee hospitals and blood banks to fulfill physician orders for patients to donate their own blood before scheduled procedures, establishing autologous and directed donation as a patient right.

Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/18/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 2166

Legislative bill overview

HB 2166 requires Tennessee hospitals and blood banks to honor physicians' orders for patients to donate their own blood (autologous donation) or donate blood designated for a specific patient (directed donation) prior to scheduled medical procedures. The bill amends Tennessee's health care facility regulations to establish this as a patient right with physician authorization.

Why is this important

Autologous and directed blood donations reduce transfusion risks by using the patient's own blood or blood from known donors, which can minimize complications from incompatibility, infection, or disease transmission. This addresses patient preferences for safer blood sources, particularly important for those with rare blood types, religious objections to standard transfusions, or heightened health concerns, though the clinical benefit varies depending on the procedure type and patient circumstances.

Potential points of contention

  • Medical necessity debate: Some physicians and blood bank professionals may argue autologous donations aren't medically indicated for many procedures, raising questions about whether mandating compliance overrides clinical judgment
  • Operational and cost burden: Blood banks and hospitals may contend that accommodating these donations requires additional staffing, testing, storage, and administrative resources that increase healthcare costs
  • Blood supply impact: Requiring facilities to process autologous/directed donations could divert resources from the general blood supply system, potentially affecting emergency blood availability and public health preparedness

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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