Combined Actuality Improves Blood Donation Expertise

At CES (Shopper Electronics Present) in Las Vegas, Abbott (a worldwide chief in screening blood and plasma) and Blood Facilities of America (largest blood provider community within the U.S.) revealed the launch of their new Combined Actuality challenge designed to make blood donation extra nice.

Of their press launch concerning the new challenge Abbott and Blood Facilities of America highlighted the struggles of sustaining our nation’s blood provide. Additionally they identified the compounding impacts with the decline of donors below the age of 30 during the last decade. A few statistics they shared was that on common solely 3% of the U.S. inhabitants donates blood and solely 15% of 18-to-34-year-olds donated blood in 2020.

The wrestle is actual for healthcare officers to determine tips on how to sustain with the nation’s blood provide demand and to search out donors. Consequently, Abbott and Blood Facilities of America maintain an open-minded method to search out new methods to draw new blood donors. Additionally they wish to make the expertise as nice as attainable to maintain donors coming again and share the optimistic expertise with others.

The most recent initiative to draw blood donors options combined actuality to distract customers from the method. Earlier than something was created, analysis was carried out to search out what donors choose to see as they donate blood. The outcomes discovered the best setting was a pure surroundings to maintain customers calm all through the entire course of. Donors don the Microsoft Combined Actuality headset the HoloLens and “go to a whimsical backyard whereas listening to soothing music, planting seeds that develop into colourful timber and flowers.”

Harpreet Ok. Sandhu, CEO, Stanford Blood Middle (Palo Alto, Calif.) and chairperson of Blood Facilities of America had this to say concerning the challenge. “The combined actuality expertise is a terrific strategy to get these individuals enthusiastic about taking part. It provides a enjoyable, interactive component to donation and it’s straightforward and handy for blood facilities to make use of.”

The pilot launch has generated widespread media protection and outcomes obtained are “a optimistic expertise for blood donors and to encourage the general public to donate” mentioned David C. Rhew, M.D., international chief medical officer and vice chairman of healthcare, Microsoft.

The expertise is at the moment being piloted on a restricted foundation at choose Blood Facilities of America places nationwide. Future plans and targets are to roll the expertise nationwide to draw and retain extra blood donors.