St. Louis University School of Medicine St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Background/Case Studies: Blood donor engagement can be challenging, particularly to provide the donor with an experience where they feel connected to the patient. An initiative was started at a single blood center by a volunteer donor, who was also a transfusion recipient, to cultivate the vein-to-vein relationship. Herein we discuss this project known as Me2You. This study proposes a novel method with the use of hand-written Me2You encouragement cards from donors which are delivered to the recipient of blood products.
Study
Design/Methods: A working group was established to design the Me2You donor card and develop a process allowing donors to provide anonymous, motivational notes to transfusion recipients. After hospital committee review, a single, regional hospital affiliated with the blood center agreed to receive the cards for patient distribution. A blood center graphic designer was engaged to design the cards, which were then strategically placed at 3 designated fixed collection locations within a region. Managers and supervisors at each location were provided information on the program and how to inform donors about the initiative. Each month completed cards were collected and reviewed for appropriateness by two reviewers. Cards with inappropriate content, those that mention the donor’s last name, and inappropriate language or nonmotivational messaging were excluded. Cards were restocked upon request.
Results/Findings: Data from July 2023 to February 2024 across three locations (A, B, C) showed variable donor engagement. Location A had 38 to 65 card completions/month, Location B had 2 to 9, and Location C had 4 to 17. A switch from Location B to D occurred post-November 2023 due to low engagement. Costs included $195.81 for printing 1000 cards and $193.19 for three ballot boxes. Success factors included a small canteen space, a motivated facility manager, and robust staff education. Each center was equipped with bins, cards, and pens. Repeat donors and collection duration may influence response rates. Conclusions: The Me2You project illustrates that blood donors are willing to complete cards addressed to recipients of their donations, showcasing an effective and cost-efficient method to enhance recognition of the vein-to-vein phenomenon. While barriers may exist, overall, cards serve as a low-resource-intensive tool with potential impacts on donor experience. Future steps include surveying donors who completed cards to gather direct feedback on their experience and connection with recipients, as well as surveying patients who received the cards to assess their experience and the impact of the messages they received.
