Jeanette

We currently track RBC loss on platelet donors for a rolling 12 months. For the donor center, we don't track it on those donors who only donate WB b/c they can't go over it. We ask donors if they have donated anything in the past 16 weeks to cover all basis including double red cells. It has been a pain with committed donors doing both wb and plt. they tend to get near to the FDA RBC loss cut off.

Bryan, Try this link. http://www.bloodnj.org/ They are selling the book that I was talking about. America's Heros.

We do not use Sept. 11 in any way to promote blood donation. We naturally see an increase in donations, however, it did go down last year as compared to the year before. There was a vendor at the ADRP conference, which I forget who it was, who sold books at a relatively cheap price. She was giving away a book about 9/11 that included an insert in giving blood. You might want to go on the ADRP.org site and contact Bob Hughes and ask him who the vendor was. Hope this helps!

We offer movie tickets but we have to buy them. We do get $2 off of each ticket b/c of an employee discount. If you don't have a discount, look into AAA if anyone belongs to them. They offer movie tickets at a cheap price. Also, what you might want to try is speaking face to face to blood donors at your donor center and on blood drives about platelets.

Bryan, We are also located in a hospital. We do promote platelets differently. What we have relied on is specific recruitment of those donors who are CMV -. We get a list of WB donors who are shown to be CMV- and send them a letter stating that they have "special blood". They respond well b/c they already understand the need for donating but now they are told that they have somethign that is wanted. In the future, we hope to specifically recruit blood types like AB to stick with platelets. Try the buddy system. The whole idea of platelets is scary. You can offer tours or sit w/ blood donors as they donate and inform them of the type of donation. good luck!

Try Cotton Images at www.cottonimages.com They have a website and booklet that has hundreds of blood donor designs. We use them!

Christine, Now I see why you can afford to offer those gifts every day to the donors. Have you thought about what you will do once you increase your program? How are you going to afford to keep the same level of gifts around for them? It is very hard to take gifts away. Before I started we gave shirts away every day of the year. This was just too much for our budget so we offer different events instead of shirts. The complaints are plentiful from those who miss those months without shirts. Just some food for thought!

If you are just starting out with the platelet program, it sure does sound like you have a very large budget. To offer 2 movie tickets all year round and raffles for 4 gifts valued at $100 each. We have free lunch donated from various resturants in boston every friday in march. Donors enjoy this. We have food donated throughout the year for other events also. Our employees are allowed 1 hour off, $5 coupons for the cafeteria or a free day to park at a garage in boston. Employees appreciate these gifts but are so used to them now that they want more. We have 4 chairs for platelet donors to donate on. Many days we only have 2 available due to staffing issues. We have grown a lot in the platelet area but it is hard to get new donors committed to it b/c of time constraints. We don't telerecruit our donors so we rely soley on our mailings and interactions with the donors. When did you start your program? What hospital do you work at?

You give movie passes out to the donors all the time or is that just a promotion for a while? Also, did you get the movie passes donated and the luxury suite tickets donated? We don't have a budget to buy any of that. We run different promotions throughout the year. Around Christmas, we offer free movie passes and this attracts many platelet donors. We have two Baxter e-chairs in our center and that has proved to increase our percentage of repeat donors both for new and regular donors. I have been able to get to know the donors and that has helped to create a personal touch also. Other events we do are for both wb and plt. donors such as shirts, massages, lunch, breakfast, ice cream, mary kay giveaways, and various raffles. The events and shirts attract donors but I am trying to find the best way to start a buddy program. The hard part is our budget and donors would want something in return for bringing a buddy in. Any suggestions?

As far as leaving I mean, any neat ways to keep donors coming back again and again. Do you do something special for new platelet donors to welcome them to the program or after the donation as a special thank you?

Does anyone have a unique way to keep platelet donors from leaving? How does staff interaction affect donors experience while they are donating? Do you think donors rather not feel like they have speak to staff while donating?

We are looking for ideas in what recruitment want to hear at the seminars at AABB or any other conference they attend. Thanks!

As a change for january, we offered free massages for donors for 3 days in addition to our shirts. the difference that made in the response was wonderful. i guess donors need massages after the stresses of the holidays. any other ideas?

My name is Jeanette and I work for MGH in their recruitment department. If anyone has some new ideas on how to get donors in please share!