"May" We Tell You You ROCK?! (Remember! Both donors AND NON-donors are stars!)

[cass2591]

That makes more sense. Thanks for clearing that up. It reminded me of a story my father told about when he was in the Navy. My dad never had the mumps, so the tale goes, and in order to prevent him from getting them he said they found another guy who'd had mumps, took his blood, and infused it into my father to make him immune.

I still don't know if that's a true story or not, but the idea made me cringe.

[cass2591]

Hospitals, even non profit ones, are a business. But in my 160 years of nursing I never saw anybody get blood in order to make a buck for the hospital.

Sorry, I don't believe that there's no markup in a for-profit hospital. Perhaps I'm cynical from following the progress of people who die because they can't afford chemotherapy.

I never worked in a for profit hospital. I also said that in my experience blood wasn't given in order for the hospital to make money. Seriously. It wasn't. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but not where I worked. Way too many protocols involved for anyone to get away with that even if they wanted to.

[afbluebelle]

0.o

I am so glad they have vaccinations now

[M-theory]

Hospitals, even non profit ones, are a business. But in my 160 years of nursing I never saw anybody get blood in order to make a buck for the hospital.

Sorry, I don't believe that there's no markup in a for-profit hospital. Perhaps I'm cynical from following the progress of people who die because they can't afford chemotherapy.

I never worked in a for profit hospital. I also said that in my experience blood wasn't given in order for the hospital to make money. Seriously. It wasn't. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but not where I worked. Way too many protocols involved for anyone to get away with that even if they wanted to.

Now if only all hospitals were nonprofit. The offending hospital which runs blood drives in my home city is for profit, hence why I never gave them my blood.

[dawbs]

I don't know about other places, but it does cost money to receive blood in the US.  However, I think that if you are a blood donor, they will give you free units up to the number you have donated (so, for instance, I have donated 3, and could get up to 3 units for free if I ever needed a blood transfusion).  I was also under the impression that I can donate blood, and then tell the blood bank that I want my "credit" to apply to members of my family as well as myself.

Does that sound completely crazy to any other US ehellions?  I can't figure out if that's true or not by looking it up online (and I realize I could very well be wrong).

[/quote]
There is a specific system in place (that I know precious little about) where things are credited to the patient(which is different than the 'directed donations' of donating directly to people one knows).

When I've donated, it has simply been a general donation but IF my grandpa's insurance didn't cover the 'cost' of his blood, it's not uncommon for them to erase part of the expense of that if he agrees to 'owe' a certain # of units of blood back.  Then, when I went to donate, I could 'repay' that debt.

It really does exist here in the US.  It's just not usually publicized a lot and I do have to admit not quite 'getting' it because we've never had to do it--but I know some sort of system exists because we explored it when we were dealing w/ an insurance debacle (which got sorted out before we got to that point).
(and t

[Samantha]

As for the situation described above, where a family refused to pay for the blood given, please remember a lot goes into donating/transfusing blood. There are labs, lab techs, nurses, etc, involved in the process. Just because someone you know gives the blood does not make it immune. It still has to be tested.

I think you are talking about another poster, but just to clarify... when our family donates, it is listed as to replace past donations that other family members have received. This way even if they have to give Grandma six units (three of which are "freebies"), if my cousin Percy, Uncle Tim, and I all donate in Grandma's name, she doesn't get charged for the additional blood as we replenished their supply.

[Dindrane]

Sorry, I feel like I got things off on a tangent.

I guess the bottom line is that it may very well be different depending upon where you're donating/needing blood.  But it's good to donate, even if the blood centers have to charge hospitals for the blood in order to cover their operating costs.

I think I got the probably incorrect information I mentioned earlier from the blood center I donated to in Texas.  I couldn't find anything about it on their website, but they apparently give everyone who donates $20 vouchers (good for 120 days) that can be applied to anyone's transfusion-related medical costs if insurance won't cover it.  They have a program that encourages people to donate once each quarter, which is why the vouchers are only good for 120 days.  It seemed like a pretty neat way of encouraging repeat donations to me.

[M-theory]

I guess the bottom line is that it may very well be different depending upon where you're donating/needing blood.  But it's good to donate, even if the blood centers have to charge hospitals for the blood in order to cover their operating costs.

Again, all I'm saying is that people should avoid donating directly to for-profit hospitals if possible.

[random numbers]

After years of not being able to donate blood because I weighed 90 pounds, I was excited when I gained enough weight to donate.  Then we discovered that my veins are not good for needle sticks.  For some reason, the vein wall is sucked up against the needle, blocking off blood flow.  One time when I donated at the Blood Bank, the phlebotomist scolded me for taking so long and crying.  I kept saying, "this really, really hurts."  She told me if I didn't fill the pint, they were going to throw it away.  I couldn't take the pain.  After she disconnected me, she practically pushed me out of the building without letting me grab any juice or cookies.  I guess I didn't deserve them since she threw my blood away.  It was a total waste, plus I had a big bruise and my arm was sore for days.

That might not be true...At one of my donations the tech punched through the vein and it started leaking under my skin. I didn't give a complete pint, but they still sent me a letter saying thanks for the donation, it lacked an antibody so it was given to babies. So I think they still used it.

I think that person was just being mean.

[GirlyGirl]

However, it could still be wishful thinking fueled by misinformation on my part that gave me the idea that you can get "credit" for blood donated in case you ever need to receive it.

I haven't been asked this recently, but the blood bank used to ask if I was giving on behalf of a specific group.  I understood that when people from this group [my employer] needed blood, they'd get it free if there were any credits available.  I hope that makes sense.

[Slartibartfast]

I rarely donate, because I have tiny veins that roll and very few phlebotomists can get a vein on the first try.  But at Dragon*Con last weekend they had a big blood drive and I was walking past with nothing to do* so I figured what the heck   Yeah . . . he only had to stick me once, but I STILL have a bruise (a week and a half later).  At its largest, my bruise was a full three inches long.  I hate being on the pointy end of the needle 

* Actually, it was fairly late in the evening and even though they had a substantial group of people wanting to donate, they couldn't accept from many of them because the blood drive was set up very close to the hotel bar and lots of people were already trashed by 9:30.  The guy in line ahead of me was carrying a beer in a (clear plastic) cup.  He tried to convince the receptionist it was water.  (Duh, it's tan and smells like beer!)  Then he asked if he could just go around the corner and finish it quick, would he be able to donate then?  She told him to come back in the morning!

[faithlessone]

Going to donate in 2 and 1/2 hours!

I may even take a picture and show you guys!

[Silversurfer]

I cant donate  because i donated 2 months ago!

but next month i will donate again for sure!

 

[Waltraud]

I used to donate blood at my university. (Funnily enough, on blood donation days, part of the cafeteria was roped off to make room for those camp beds and all the medical stuff. Bleed where others eat, I'd say!)

But then I saw something on TV about one of the main blood donating organisations in my country. Apparently, some information on "how they get people to donate" leaked  to the media.

In a very cold, cynical way it was advised that people should be given the feeling that they are helping others, although in reality they are financially supporting a major concern because most of the blood is turned into other products, which, unlike blood, are allowed to be sold. I was appalled and decided to not longer support a concern with my own substance. 

Waltraud

[suzieQ]

I admit that I really hate donating blood, but I keep doing it.  I've got O-, and they guilt trip me with the need for that, and also my blood is good for babies or something.  In other words I feel like I'm killing babies if I don't do it.

You are probably CMV (cytomegalo-virus) negative. Not sure I spelled that right. Most of the population has had CMV. That blood can't be given to babies. You have to be CMV neg to donate to babies (how it was explained to me). DH and I are also both O- and CMV-. I used to give every six weeks while in college. Unfortunately, the place I donated moved. Now they are never open during hours I can go. Last time I tried to donate at a mall blood drive, the nurse left the blood pressure cuff blown up while I was donating. I told her it hurt and asked her to take it off. She released a tiny bit of pressure, then blew it back up again! (they have to use the cuff on me to get to my veins). She did the same thing to DH with the tourniquet - untied it, then tied it right back - it was pinching him. That was the final straw for us. We haven't donated since then.