A colleague in Georgia would like to learn what other hospital-based blood banks use as incentives to encourage blood donations to their hospital based blood donor programs. In addition, the inquiring Georgian would like to know how the incentives are obtained. Are they obtained by direct purchase, by business/vendor solicitation, or some other method. His donor program hopes to build a case to convince their hospital administration to support the use of incentives for blood donation.

The following comments have been received.

ADDENDA May 25, 2006

1. A colleague in Pennsylvania reports that their hospital-based blood donor program purchases incentives from vendors using money that comes out of their Blood Bank's budget. They purchase relatively inexpensive (<$5.00) give-aways, such as: mouse pads, CD cases, mugs, flashlights, T-shirts, car windshield ice scrapers, clocks, etc. These items are only given to hospital and College of Medicine employees, students, residents, etc, but not to the general public who (mostly) donate at an off-site (out of hospital) location.

2. A colleague in North Carolina reports that they do not have a hospital based donor program, but they do arrange for their local blood supplier to set up blood drives five time per year (2 days per blood drive) at their hospital. The hospital administration budgets $5,000 to purchase "thank you" gifts (or incentives) for the donors. The local blood supplier provides T-shirts. Local companies like Krispy Kreme provides donuts and Dominos provides pizza for lunch (Domino's has a restaurant within their institution). With the $5,000 budget they purchase the following gifts:

• Special long sleeve shirts displaying the school colors and logo of the hospital's affiliated university. The North Carolina colleague comments that they are really big school sports fans at her location.
• Lawn chairs - They usually buy 100 and they have a drawing from about 250 donors. They cannot buy chairs for everyone because of the cost. They give a smaller gift to all donors when they have a drawing for lawn chairs. This item is very popular.
• Stadium Blankets - again with the school colors and logo. This was a special treat just before Christmas last year. Lots of donors came for this one.
• Aprons - the outdoor grilling type - both men and women can wear them.
• Special deli lunch (once a year).
• Smaller gifts include: a tape measure and screw driver set, Caps, Hot/Cold mugs, Pens.

The use 2 vendors for the gifts, one for shirts and aprons and another for everything else. Their gifts range from $1 to $14 (chairs).

These blood drives usually bring in 200-250 donors per drive.

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Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator