Matching blood donations to type-specific product needs: a recruitment technique

Area of Science:

• Transfusion Medicine
• Blood Banking Operations
• Donor Recruitment Strategies

Background:

• Transitioning whole blood donors to apheresis donation presents challenges, potentially impacting overall blood collection volumes.
• A strategic approach is needed to balance the expansion of apheresis donors with the maintenance of homologous collections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a recruitment strategy that enhances apheresis donations while considering blood type compatibility.
• To optimize the collection of specific blood products by aligning donor types with procedural requirements.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a donor recruitment matrix based on blood types (O, A, B, AB) and Rh factor (positive, negative).
• Directed donors towards primary (e.g., whole blood) and secondary (e.g., apheresis) donation types based on their blood group.
• Monitored blood collection data for whole blood and apheresis procedures over a 12-month period (1992/93).

Main Results:

• A+ and B+ apheresis collections increased by 4.9% and 13.7% respectively, contributing to a total apheresis collection increase of 3,058 units.
• O group apheresis donations decreased by 2.5%, and A+ whole blood donations decreased by 5.35%.
• The integrated recruitment strategy successfully increased type-specific apheresis products.

Conclusions:

• Type-specific donor recruitment strategies can effectively increase apheresis collections.
• Aligning donor blood types with specific product needs is crucial for optimizing blood banking operations.
• This approach demonstrates a successful method for expanding apheresis donor base without compromising overall collection efficiency.