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Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

independent.co.uk

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Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#31

Post by danieltillett »

minot wrote: post #30
danieltillett wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with this approach is the areas of need rarely aligns with areas of desire. What happens to those areas that need resources that nobody really cares about?

> What happens to those areas that need resources that nobody really cares about? This is why taxes cannot be donations. Indeed, they are not donations. I remember the people at institutional giving at my old college say that nobody wants their name on a parking lot.

Of course - if governments could raise funds by donations they would not tax. I hate taxes, but I hate the absence of taxes more :)

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#32

Post by seivan »

jacquesm wrote: post #12

So, how long until someone figures out that they don't actually need to save someone's life to send a text message? And what about using the blood when someone's life is not saved, does that not warrant a text message? How come the entities using the blood and/or distributing it have access to the phone numbers of the donors?

I can tell you that there is currently a lack of blood in Sweden, so I am pretty sure your blood will be used.

Hell, today someone threw in a hand grenade in an apartment complex. No worries, there will always be a need of blood. :I

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#33

Post by maxerickson »

jacquesm wrote: post #12

So, how long until someone figures out that they don't actually need to save someone's life to send a text message? And what about using the blood when someone's life is not saved, does that not warrant a text message? How come the entities using the blood and/or distributing it have access to the phone numbers of the donors?

In the US, the entity that collects the blood can have a lot of requirements to notify the donor about and report infectious disease, so they are required to maintain records about the donors. They also generally happen to be the entity that distributes the blood.

I would guess that the implementation has the hospital passing a list of numbers read from barcodes to the blood center and then the center either sending the messages or passing phone numbers to the county council mentioned in the article.

I think I agree with your reaction though.

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#34

Post by charlesdm »

AriaMinaei wrote: post #14

This could work not just for donating blood, but for pretty much any kind of service. Imagine if you could see, in real time, how your job affects other people's lives, even in the most mundane way. It would let you see the value of what you do, and give you a reason to do it better.

> "How your job affects other people's lives"

You mean, how a software developer might be helping companies be more efficient, meaning they can now lay off people with lower income jobs because their services are no longer required?

I like this idea for blood donations though!

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#35

Post by softgrow »

Might work for some people but not for me. I'd start worrying I'm not donating enough. With plasma you can donate every two weeks which is pretty often, I only go once every four weeks. However I liked the chocolates that were handed out at the blood bank around Christmas time last year (Australia). Oh and in case your wondering they used to offer beer in refreshment but that was cut out a couple of years ago. But they do have wifi now :-).

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#36

Post by AriaMinaei »

charlesdm wrote: post #34
AriaMinaei wrote: post #14

This could work not just for donating blood, but for pretty much any kind of service. Imagine if you could see, in real time, how your job affects other people's lives, even in the most mundane way. It would let you see the value of what you do, and give you a reason to do it better.

> "How your job affects other people's lives" You mean, how a software developer might be helping companies be more efficient, meaning they can now lay off people with lower income jobs because their services are no longer required? I like this idea for blood donations though!

I'm going to assume that people getting laid off is the fault of software makers and software makers only, for the sake of argument of course.

Even then, it's good to know how your work affects people, whether positive or negative. At least you see the result of your work in the big picture, and have a chance to do something about it.

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#37

Post by jacquesm »

minot wrote: post #30
danieltillett wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with this approach is the areas of need rarely aligns with areas of desire. What happens to those areas that need resources that nobody really cares about?

> What happens to those areas that need resources that nobody really cares about? This is why taxes cannot be donations. Indeed, they are not donations. I remember the people at institutional giving at my old college say that nobody wants their name on a parking lot.

I'd much rather have my name on a parking lot than on a landmine.

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#38

Post by XorNot »

prebrov wrote: post #25
jacquesm wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's a terrible idea. That reverse track from specific use of blood to phone number of the source should not even exist.

That probably must exist to track potential problem with donor's blood in case it wasn't spotted And also, people generally like being appreciated personally. I'd imagine that named donations prevail over anonymous in most cases.

Exactly. The fact Sweden can do this is a comfort: it speaks to amazing inventory management.

Re: Blood donors in Sweden get a text message when their blood saves someone's life

#40

Post by oadam »

fabiandesimone wrote: post #18
AriaMinaei wrote: post #14

This could work not just for donating blood, but for pretty much any kind of service. Imagine if you could see, in real time, how your job affects other people's lives, even in the most mundane way. It would let you see the value of what you do, and give you a reason to do it better.

I always thought about this about taxes. If you could choose from a list of projects a la Kickstarter where YOU choose where your taxes go to, I'm sure people would not only feel better about taxes in general but would allow them to get involved in said projects.

Some countries in EU have 2% of income tax support, i.e. If you are a tax payer in Lithuania and would like to support the development of non-profit/school/academy or sport club, you can do so by transferring 2% of your income tax to the administrating enterprise. And you can change/donate it every year.
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