-
November 2023 by Beau Anderson
I don't know if they overbook or understaff, but when I went to a blood drive today to donate with an appointment I waited an hour and still hadn't started the process. I inquired and was told that the wait would be approximately one more hour. No communication and no respect for my time or the time of others who were waiting. This is not the first time I have had this experience with Red Cross but it will be the last.
-
October 2023 by Matt
Worst experience donating anything.Took weeks of making appointments and their office canceling hours beforehand because "no one was available to staff the clinic".Finally got in for a platelet donation and the lady doing the screening was terrible. First she told me if I had even a scratch on my arms she would immediately turn me away. Then she took my blood with the finger prick to determine my hemoglobin which from past donations has always been 14.5 or higher.First prick she said I have 12.9 and I needed at least a 13. When asked to see the result she cleared the device and told me no.Second prick she said I had 11.5 and told me I needed to leave.I will NEVER donate again at this facility and actively tell friends, family, and anyone else to avoid giving here.
-
August 2023 by Seth Mastrocola
ARC is my favorite VOAD! Always a professional and kind environment. They kept their appointment and called me in right at the scheduled time.I recommend downloading the mobile app, to easily track your history and future appointments.They are skilled and for safety won’t let you donate if you present that day with high blood pressure.
-
January 2023 by Jay S.
At my first blood donation with American Red Cross I was pleasantly surprised to see how professional the whole experience was, and how comfortable they made me feel. What caught my eye was how they checked, re-checked, and then re-checked again everything they were doing. As a retired aircraft mechanic I certainly can appreciate that. They also have a wonderful app that makes the check in process quick, and easy at the donation centers. It also gives you a ton of information,and is a quick resource for rescheduling, or making an appointment. I was so impressed with the American Red Cross that I now donate blood regularly,have completed my training, and became a American Red Cross volunteer.
-
October 2022 by Brock P.
Background: I first gave blood ten days after my 18th birthday. That's about 58 years ago. I also was a donor for the plasmapheresis program for some time. I was making an attempt to "pay back" the packed red blood cells administered to my late wife before she died. Between the time of the round trip and the slow process, I had to give it up. Some health concerns interrupted a long streak of donations, but I'm back in business again. On Tuesday, September 27th, I had a 2:45 donation appointment at the Litchfield Community Center. Because I had other obligations that day, I rearranged my schedule (thus requiring others to rearrange theirs to accommodate my need) so I would be available. My next appointment for that day was for 4:30, at a nearby address. I figured an hour and three-quarters would be a sufficient "window." When I arrived at 2:40, there were a number of people waiting, either for the initial screening or the actual donation. I noticed that and mentioned to the volunteer that I was in a time squeeze. She assured me that we'd have time. Almost half an hour later, I was called to the screening station. I mentioned my schedule again. The nurse told me that would not be a problem. I noticed an empty table, and two of the phlebotomists chatting nearby. I responded to the list of questions, got a finger stick and blood pressure check. The table was still vacant. One of the people I had seen was eating on the other side of the room. The other began to wipe down the table. "Are you sure you can get me out of here by 4:20?" I received something of an annoyed nod yes. I was promoted to one of the chairs waiting for a table. By this time, I'd completed the crossword puzzle I'd brought in. It was clear by their pace and their body language, none of the staff had any sense of urgency about completing their tasks. I was motioned to the table a couple of minutes before 4:00 PM (75 minutes after my appointment time). I was positioned on the table. The nurse brought the "kit" and laid it on the foot of the bed. Another patient's alarm rang, and she went over to unhook her and get her over to the refreshment area. At this point, I called my 4:30 appointment and warned I might be a little late. The nurse came back at 4:10. I looked at her and then the clock. I got off the table and headed out the door. This was hardly the first time this has happened to me at this location. My last two donations before this were at the Bantam firehouse and the Torrington Lutheran Church. Both times, I was in and out in less than an hour, including the suggested time with juice and crackers. When I left, I talked to the woman who had initially greeted me, saying I would assume appointments would have priority over "walk-ins." She said everyone had had appointment times. There were no walk-ins. Apparently, they weren't fully staffed, and, according to the volunteer at the desk, that wasn't the first time.Somewhere someone fouled up, and has done so more frequently than any regular schedule would accommodate. Surely, this is a management problem, and a fairly basic one - estimate your personnel needs and be certain they will be fulfilled. Have "back-ups" available in case unavoidable problems come up. There was one justifiable time when walk-ins overwhelmed my appointment that I fully understand. I'd had a 3:30 scheduled appointment on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. When I talked to the administrator of the Community Center the next day, she said she understood my frustration and said she'd brought it to your attention before. How many messages do you need in order to rectify the problem? It took me half an hour to find a website affiliated with Red Cross that posted an address of any kind. Surely, that in itself is a serious failing.
-
February 2022 by Tom Sweeney
I donated platelets routinely for many years at Memorial Blood Centers in Plymouth, MN before moving to Connecticut a couple of years ago. After donating platelets for the first time in Farmington today, there are a number of things I preferred about the MN experience. The people in Farmington are very nice, but there was an element of chaos due to bandwidth issues affecting the equipment, short staffing and uncertainty about which laptop was monitoring which patient. This experience won't stop me from donating through American Red Cross because it has a monopoly on blood donations here. The staff worked hard and did its best. However, the institution could do better.
-
March 2021 by Jessica S
Lack of professionalism.
-
October 2019 by Amanda S.
I signed up for a cpr/first aid class in September for October. The address that was given dumped me on to the UCONN campus and asked 4 different people where this place was. 2 didn't what I was talking about. 1 person gave me directions to a different part of campus and the other said I shouldn't even be on campus. So I left not even making it to the class and not even knowing where it was. They should really look into their address if it's giving me UConn.
-
September 2019 by Heather B.
I come here to donate platelets/ apheresis. The staff is so friendly and accommodating. Since you're there for a spell, each donation station has a dedicated tv with unlimited Netflix viewing options to keep you occupied. The snacks and drinks available are also tasty and I like that the cups for water are now paper instead of plastic. My only complaint/surprise is this is the only location in the entire state for apheresis. I feel like they would get so many more donations if there were more locations available.
-
May 2019 by Mark Karas
They have zero respect for your time. They used to be good here, now they overbook consistently so you typically have over an hour's wait after your appointment time.
-
February 2019 by Peter S.
I have been giving blood through one blood for the past 15 years in Florida. A total of somewhere near 10 gallons. Moved from Florida to Connecticut where I still had the interest in giving blood. Went to the Red Cross today and they refused to take my blood because I'm on a blood thinner. According to the Red Cross you have to be off blood thinners for seven days before they'll take blood from you. No one Who takes Coumadin goes without Coumadin for seven days. Which is the Red Cross requirement. So not only can I never give blood again, but the Red Cross is missing out on a lot of donations because of this policy. Bad, unnecessary policy.
