Hosting a blood drive for your local American Red Cross is a great thing to do. Did you know that one blood donation can help save up to 3 lives? Only 5% of eligible Americans give blood. Donated blood only last for 42 days, so blood donors are always needed. You can donate blood as many as 6 times a year. There is a 97% chance that someone you know will need a blood transfusion. (American Red Cross Quote) If you are not already regularly giving blood, I urge you to do so. Post these facts in your office or in a mail out letter to your patients. Your community and patients will respect your efforts to help those who are in need of blood donations.



So now you are ready to host a blood drive. That's great! You can contact the national directory for the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE LIFE or http://www.givelife.org. Once you set a date and time the American Red Cross should help you promote your event. They should be able to post minimal signage and make phone calls to previous donators in your area. Remember to encourage your patients to donate as well. If you would like, you can offer incentives for patients who donate. If your patients have a friend or family member who wants to donate this would be a good time to introduce yourself to them. It will also be great time to introduce yourself to the general public who show up to donate blood.

Once the date has been set, get ready to educate the blood donors. When I set up our blood drives, I explained to the American Red Cross coordinators that I wanted the opportunity to give each donor a free spinal screening. I also held a drawing at the end of the week for Biofreeze, a free exam and set of x-rays (if necessary) to a few lucky donors. When a donor shows up to give blood, they sign in with the American Red Cross. This is the time that they fill out your slip for your drawing as well. Information should include name, address, phone number and optional email address for monthly email newsletter that your office should be sending out. Another good piece of information to ask for on your drawing slip is, “do you have any questions for the doctor?” This gets the potential patient already thinking about possibly getting help from you. It also gives you information to talk about if you decide to make a follow up call.

After they have donated blood, they are required by the American Red Cross to stick around for about 10 minutes to make sure there are no problems such as excessive hemorrhaging. This is a great chance for you to thank them for coming out and talk to them about chiropractic care. As always there should be plenty of take home information about your practice for your guest. With any event I cannot emphasis enough how important it is to follow up on potential patient leads. Although you want to make sure you do not excessively bother people. Following up on a lead means either sending a letter or phone call stating, “It was nice to meet you and please let us know if we can help you or anyone you know in anyway.” You can also leave a magnet and two business cards in the letter. People will respect your professionalism if you do not badger them. You would be surprised how many people will call even six months to a year later to make an appointment.

This should be a very successful event for you and your practice. We have done very well in the past. Even some of the American Red Cross employees have even started care in our office!

Once you host a successful blood drive you should consider hosting blood drives on a regular basis. This will make the community more aware of when and where they can donate blood. At the same time it generates positive exposure for your practice. Again another win, win, win situation for you, your patients and those in need of blood donated to the American Red Cross.

Ryan Marshall, D.C.