Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

How do I get a new Donor ID card?

You can request a new card when you register for your next donation at any of our Neighborhood Donor Centers or Community Blood Drives.  You can also email Customer Service with your request.  Please allow 6-8 weeks to receive your new card.

How can I find out my blood type?

Any Donor Care Specialist can inform you of your blood type in person at any of our Neighborhood Donor Centers or Community Blood Drives – if you have previously donated blood products to Hoxworth.  All you need is a photo ID. 
If you cannot make it to a donation opportunity, contact our Customer Service Manager.  Due to confidentiality, we cannot release any information over the phone or the internet.

How do I retrieve my cholesterol result?

Donors can retrieve their cholesterol level by calling our automated Cholesterol Line at (513) 558-1188 or (800) 265-1515 ext. 81188.  Please have the last 8 digits of your unit number available. 

This unit number can be found on your Donor Information form:

Am I eligible to donate?

Please visit our Eligibility page.

How do I schedule an appointment?   

Please visit our Where to Donate page.

Are the health history questions necessary every time?

To ensure the safest possible blood supply, all screening questions must be asked of all donors at each donation.  The FDA requires that all blood centers conform to this practice.

What types of blood can I receive?

What type of donation should I give?

We suggest you consider the following donation type based on your blood type, patient need, and other factors.  Please ask our staff what donation type would be most beneficial to the patients in our community.

Is it true that my friend or family member will receive a discount on their transfusion if I donate in honor of them?
No. The bill received for any transfusion is generated by the hospital where the transfusion occurred; Hoxworth Blood Center does not charge patients for the blood that they receive.  We encourage friends and family members to donate to ensure that blood is available when needed by their loved one.  By encouraging blood donations, families can replenish the blood used by their family member.

Why am I charged for blood at a hospital if I've donated blood?
Hoxworth Blood Center does not charge patients for any blood that they may receive. Although we do not charge for the blood product itself, Hoxworth Blood Center is reimbursed by the hospitals we serve for the costs associated with all activities involved in the process — this includes costs associated with recruitment and screening of donors, collecting and processing each generous donation, testing, labeling, storage, and distribution.

Each hospital, at its discretion, will establish a fee schedule that could include additional charges related to the administration of the blood provided for transfusion and may pass on these costs to patients.

Does Hoxworth Blood Center (HBC) pay donors for giving blood?
HBC is fully committed to remaining a volunteer donor supported organization in compliance with FDA recommendations. The FDA recommendations were based on studies that showed a direct correlation between monetary incentives and higher risk of infectious disease transmission. Removing the cash incentive did lead to a more robust donor screening process. When combined with current testing methodology, the end result is the safest blood supply possible for the recipient.

Updated: 3/4/13