AABB24: Innovation and Challenges in Donor Recruitment

Did you know that new technologies, including mixed reality, are being used to provide a unique and engaging donor experience, aiming to attract younger individuals and replace the aging regular donor population? During the Monday morning session “Innovation and Challenges in Donor Recruitment,” speakers took a deep dive into using mixed reality technology at blood donor events and addressed challenges faced in recruiting and retaining donors. 

Elizabeth A. Hartwell, MD, chief medical officer at Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, presented an overview of extended reality devices and highlighted the differences between augmented reality (enhanced by virtual elements), mixed reality (interaction with both real and virtual objects) and virtual reality (immersion in a fully digital environment). Her presentation focused on using mixed reality to attract new donors and improve the blood donation experience (such as reducing the fear and anxiety associated with blood donation). “Our perception and our reality can be two different things, and one always influences the other,” she noted.  

Hartwell reviewed a study conducted by the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center that explored the use of mixed reality technology to attract new blood donors, particularly younger generations. The primary goal of the study was to determine if using mixed reality with whole blood donors was safe and feasible and if it changed the donor experience and eased the donation process, she said. The Microsoft HoloLens 2 MR headset device was used in this study. Wearing the lenses, donors planted a virtual garden during the donation process while calming music played in the background.   “It’s a great distraction,” Hartwell added.   

A total of 282 donors completed the study. Hartwell reported a reduction of anxiety with the mixed reality device: 68% of participants who reported baseline pre-donation anxiety said their anxiety was significantly reduced or somewhat reduced, and 89.2% of donors who tried mixed reality said they were likely to donate blood again. Donor reactions while using the device were mild and included pre-faint reactions and hematomas. No serious reactions occurred.  

The pilot study has ended. Hartwell shared that her center has since used mixed reality on 1,000 donors at its fixed and mobile sites over the past 8 months and has received fairly positive feedback.   

Bloodsuckers Campaign  

Brian Bautista, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Versiti, provided an overview of his organization’s Bloodsuckers Campaign at the Chicago Field Museum. The campaign used mixed reality headsets to engage and entertain participants while donating blood.  

Bautista urged the audience to embrace technology and innovation as a viable solution to increase donations. “We’re not alone in this journey in trying to solve this aging and shrinking donor base, and it should be the burning platform of everyone at this meeting, regardless of what stakeholder setting you're in,” he told the audience. “At Versiti, we believe that our big growth is going to be in diverse populations and younger generations, and so we need to be doing something disruptive. This campaign is an example of that.” 

Versiti partnered with Abbott and the Chicago Field Museum to host seven blood drives during times when blood is needed most, including the holiday season and summer season. The goal of the Bloodsuckers Campaign is to build awareness of the importance of blood donation and attract new, younger donors. Each person who donates blood receives four free basic admission tickets to the museum as a thank you gift.  

Bautista also shared his organization’s successful outreach initiatives to spread awareness, from social media and paid ads to press releases and a collaboration with a popular influencer. The campaign generated earned media and created buzz with six major media outlets. He noted the partnership with the Field Museum engaged with new, young and diverse donors. The overall impact: 892 units of blood collected; a quarter of donors under age 30 and 3,568 lives impacted. 

“We know we can't do these types of events alone, so we partner with other organizations to amplify this message. We try and really engage diverse underserved communities,” Bautista said.