The Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas

At the bank or on the blood mobile, donation can even be fun!

I’ve been here three times to donate whole blood and each time has been a good experience. The staff members are always friendly and caring.
The entire process is pretty easy. After you check in, you’re told to go into a small room and answer a questionnaire on the computer. The questions are about how you’re feeling, if you have certain illnesses, yada yada. After you’re done you go back to the waiting room until they summon you and take you into another small room to check your blood pressure, pulse, and prick your finger to test your blood. Then it’s back in the waiting room. Once they call your name a final time, you’re taken into a large room with multiple stations for donating. If you’re donating whole blood, the actual amount of time that your blood is drawn is only about 8 – 12 minutes depending on how hydrated you are (and probably some other factors, I’m sure). The staff is very attentive throughout the donation and they make sure to check in on you a few times. After you’re done, someone walks you to the little kitchen for snacks and drinks (not the happy hour kind). They usually want you to sit down for a bit and eat, to make sure you’re alright before leaving.
Overall, it’s a nice, clean place with good people doing things for a good cause. They’ll only let you donate once every 8 weeks or something, so I try to go back as frequently as they’ll allow. Once enough time has passed, they email you to let you know you’re eligible to donate again. Oh I forgot to mention, you can book appointments with the online account they create for you, which is nice.

Great feeling to donate Blood, just knowing it could save a Life .
Place was clean, Staff was very friendly and the goodies are great
I will be back next month, anybody want to go.

I went here to donate blood and this is my experience. [pros/​cons] Format.
Pros:
*It didn’t take long to get seen as I made an appointment which was a plus. After I did the paper work I was almost instantly seen.
*Most of the staff was nice and easy going.
*After giving blood they had a nice waiting area with plentiful snacks. I even noticed they had gluten free stuff.
Cons:
* I went about two weeks ago and still have yet to receive results from my blood test.
*It’s two weeks later and I still have a large nasty bruise from where they drew blood.
*I could barely move my arm for at least two days because of the pain.
*The person questioning me about my medical history acted suspicious like I was hiding something, It was like an interrogation more than just questioning.

I got an e-​mail that they were in need.
I clicked the link provided to find the nearest location.
I booked an appointment online.
I showed up, filled in paperwork, took the computer survey and waited less than 10 minutes to be taken back.
Gave blood in less than 30 minutes. My Phlebotomist was amazingly nice.
I went to the large break room and ate 6 oreos. (After all, I do it for the cookies.)
I saved two lives, all in less than 1 hour.
Loved this location. Will return asap to give more.

Want to meet cool people, do a good thing and get some free stuff? Give blood.
After using the mobile donor van earlier in the year I switched to the Blood & Tissue Center as it is blocks from my house and I can hit it on the way home from work. Scheduling your donor time ahead on line guarantees a minimal wait (if any) and you’re in and out pretty quick.
After donating you’re asked to sit in the recovery area and have some juice and cookies, easily the most fun part of the visit. Its not unusual to meet other cool peeps in there and have a nice conversation with them while munching. And, once in a while, a local store sends flowers or gift cards over for donors to take home — who knows? You might get one.
The only thing keeping this from five stars (for me) is that the people (receptionist, medical tech, phlebotomy techs) can be a little impersonal and tired at times. Like many health care settings, sometimes they just get worn out.
For what its worth, the mobile teams seems a little more fun so if that’s a big deal for you, look up their schedules on line as well.
But, if your focus is giving blood and not customer service, there’s no reason the Blood and Tissue Center won’t be just fine.

Love this Blood Center! Staff is always friendly, efficient and knowledgable. The volunteer at the canteen is always exceptional, friendly, and goes above and beyond to keep you hydrated and get you a snack after donating. The chairs are comfortable, and for someone like me who gets very cold when donating, the heated blankets and hand warmers are so helpful. I donate platelets, which means I’m there for a long time, and you come to develop a friendly relationship with the staff. I live out of state now, but when I visit I make sure to donate at this site! Plus, their holiday decorations and promotions (like free ice cream!) are a fun bonus to saving lives!

I am an O– donor, which means I interact with this blood center ALOT. I basically try to donate everytime I can.
The staff here has always been nothing but friendly. They make you feel really amazing when you donate and kind of make you feel like a hero (which you are! Donate today!).
Helpful staff and a clean waiting room/​cantina makes this my favorite blood center I have ever donated at.

I donate at the mobile unit usually parked in wallmart or cabelas lot arranged by the HCCSAAA (hayes county citizens sheriffs academy alumi assn) make a appointment and your in and out in under a hour. the staff are very profesional and have fun talking to you while the process is underway
, im been donating for years and used to give at the new braunfels center, this arrangment is so much more conveniant only a few minutes driving usually early on a sat morning so afterwards i can do some shopping at the stores nearby and still have plenty of time left in the day
a worthwhile commitment a pleasing experiance and you may get a coupon for free ice cream

How do you review a blood bank? I’m not sure, but I’ll give it a try anyway, because it’s Unilocal and you’re supposed to review places.
First, they do try to make it as easy as possible to donate from online scheduling to answering all of those semi-​private and personal questions on a computer. And the donation process is pretty painless. Just a quick finger stick for them to check the iron in your blood, then a poke with a needle to draw the blood. It really only takes about 20 minutes and it makes a difference for someone else’s life.
Having said that, though, I thought you got drinks and cookies? I have when I’ve donated blood before. This time, they just told me, «Ok, you’re done.»

I went here to donate blood as part of a community service project with my Rotary club. I’ve donated before but not in Austin so I had to go through the orientation process again. The staff is very friendly and I didn’t have to wait long. I like that everything is automated and I was in and out within 40 minutes or so. Plus, they have great snacks and beverages in the recovery room!

I’m actually pretty scared of needles… I feel compelled to give blood regularly (I don’t have money to donate, but plenty of blood!) but it’s always a bit of a freaky experience for me.
The staff at the Lamar Blood and Tissue Center makes it all better. Every time I’ve gone in the front desk has been sweet and seemed happy to see me. The staff in general has been able to answer whatever questions I had and the phlebotomists are gentle and attentive. A couple times I was asked if I’d be OK with someone in training drawing my blood since I’ve done it many times before, and even the trainees are reasonably skilled and don’t cause me to have panic attacks or sissy fits, as I am so prone to doing.
Facility’s always clean and they often have donation incentives. Not that it should be your main concern, but when you’re going to donate anyway it’s nice to get a cup or a pint of ice cream, because nothing gives you a bigger sense of justification for stuffing your face with sugar than the selfless act of giving blood. :D

I was super impressed by the whole process. Everything worked like clockwork. I didn’t even have an appointment, yet I was not kept waiting at any point for more than 60 seconds. VERY friendly and knowledgeable staff. Excellent selection of drinks and snacks afterward. Giving blood couldn’t be any easier. Cudos to this place!

I’ve been coming here for over 5 years now and have never had an issues with the place or staff. The staff is always happy to see people donate blood, they engage in conversation and seem to tend to your needs if it’s cold or if you need something to drink or eat.
I come here with my family because it tends to be a drive from Round Rock and I don’t like the location in Round Rock, but my kids don’t get bored, they have legos and books, so they have fun.
Overall a great experience every time and never have any hassles, appointment or not, they don’t have issues getting me in and out.

Silvia in a raspy voice, «Thomas, this is Silvia from the Blood and Tissue Center. We have babies being born and we need your blood. The babies really need your blood. Thee babies need your blood.»
Been giving ever since I found out that «the babies» need my blood. Jim took my blood on my most recent visit. Out of curiosity I asked if they really did need my blood. I have O neg neg which means I am O negative and negative for the Cytomegalovirus (CMV). This means my blood is ideal for new borns.
Jim shared that they really use O neg neg blood the first week they have it specifically for newborns … and since Dell’s Children’s hospital is in Austin they pretty much always use it in the first week after it has been drawn.
Tip: Drink plenty of water before you give blood.

If twilight, true blood and interview with the vampire have taught us anything, it’s that we don’t need all this blood. So I got a bug up my ass about donating blood and called them to set up an appointment the next day. Instead of recounting my entire experience, here are some things that may be useful to know:
1. They have wireless!
2. The check in process is super easy & you take the quiz on a computer & then do a series of really short tests
3. You are immediately whisked into the donation room where, if you’re lucky, you’re greeted and helped by Mary who is fabulous and has some rad tattoos peeking out from her sleeve.
4. The needle is relatively painless, you pump on this stress ball deal and you can sit there and watch movies on your laptop (platelet donation can take a while) or just catch up on your email, twitter.
5. Then you go into the canteen where they feed you all kinds of awesome cookies and popcorn and drinks like cocoa, OJ, sprite and DC.
Everyone here is incredibly nice, efficient and interested in what they’re doing. Take your lunch hour to donate blood. You’ll be doing good in the easiest way possible

Yay! My iron was high enough to donate again! I was ready to donate on a Sunday (thanks to a tasty burger the night before).
I made an appointment, although I don’t think it’s totally necessary. The people were very friendly and able to answer a lot of random questions that I had for them. (about choosing where blood can go, about platelet donations, about taking aspirin the day before)
The finger prick was still the worst part. The woman (and dang it if I don’t remember her name!) who did the poking and blood-​drawing did a very good job of it. She advised me to look away if I was bothered by needles and it hardly hurt at all.
The volunteer who brought me hot cocoa was very sweet.
This locale has a lot more going on than the south one (where I normally go), but if I’m up this way again, I’d have no problem going back.
And I still can’t wait to spend my donor points.

The only problems with this organization is that they don’t have green Gatorade any more — only red — and their name is a bit repetitive. Aside from those two small challenges, they rule.
I go to the Center at 45^th and Lamar to do Apheresis — give platelets.
The rooms are pretty comfortable. The staff is great. They’ve changed over most of their questions to the computer so you don’t have to waste time talking over the same old questions with someone new. They’ll give you an id card to scan so you don’t have to reenter too much stuff each visit.
Because Apheresis takes longer than giving blood, they’ll lend you movies and a little dvd player. They play great music in there as well.
I had only one terrible experience there. Then, when a lady called me to recruit me the next time, I told her about it. I had promised myself I wouldn’t give blood until my bruise had completely healed. Next thing I knew, the manager was calling me to follow up. She listened carefully to my whole story. For my next appointment, I reminded them that I couldn’t work with the ironically named Joy who had ruined my last visit. That’s when I found out she no longer worked there. Happy Ending!
If you give enough, they put your name on the wall.
If you donate on the right days, they give you free ice cream.
I really enjoy the all-​you-​can drink snack bar.
Plus, you can get cool prizes with your points if you join their reward system. I’ve gotten HEB cards worth $ 10 and $ 25 over the years. You can also get cool shirts and pins to show off your donations. Last time, they were giving away shirts either in Aggie Maroon or Longhorn Orange. Brilliant.
If you want to try Apheresis, ask for Rick. He is The Most Gentle Blood Drawer you could hope for.

How can you not feel great about saving a life? They even come to my work! And their ad campaign right now is really great.
Minus one star for these infractions:
* They once almost killed me by draining too much blood (okay, okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it was my first time and I got really lightheaded)
* The overly dramatic call I received once about the dying 4 year old girl that was in desperate need of blood. Geez, ya just have to ask-​no need to make a Lifetime Movie out of it.
* I’m occasionally denied for not meeting the weight requirement or not having enough red blood cells.

Why is it that blood donation employees seem so off-​putting under first impression? I don’t know if I’m already on edge knowing that I’m going to get a pound of blood sucked out of me or what, but they just aren’t as friendly and warm as I need them to be in times like these. And it’s not just this place, I’ve had this experience many many times from many many people who have taken blood out of me in the past.
And the personal questions that they ask? And the speed that they ask them? Sheesh. I know that job must get old, but there’s got to be a less robotic way of going through that process.
I guess I would just like more professional attitudes when exposing my blood to foreign objects is concerned.
Other than that, the girl who ended up doing the actual donation was nice enough and got the job done.
**Safety note: don’t walk up two flights of stairs after donating blood unless you’re ready for the internal lights to go out. Don’t say I never warned you!