I like donating plasma. In fact, you might call me a plasma aficionado. Or a plasmado. (But please…read moredon't.) It's a great way to make, depending on the location, about 50 clams per hour of tax-free money while helping science discover and aid people with blood disorders. (Plasma is the liquidy part of blood, in case you're curious and didn't know.) And those of us who have donated regularly know that a lot goes into the donation process, not the least of which is how you're treated. And on that point, Biomat USA completely misses the mark. There are four big plasma donation players in town: BioLife, CSL, Octapharma (I know. VERY James Bond-sounding.), and Biomat USA. Even their name screams rocks and torture and summer reruns. The problem here is twofold. One, the staff is temperamental. Or, at least it was until I stopped going there altogether. They're friendly, even ribald, among themselves. But when it comes to the interaction between staff and donator, it's like the difference between night and seaweed. Between the bruising on my arm, the coldness of the staff, the basic overall indifference to the comfort of the people who make a place like Biomat USA profitable, I just found it too much trouble to bother returning, ESPECIALLY when you have a lot of other good plasma donation centers to choose from. Now granted, I'm not saying all Biomat USA's are like a tray of expired kale, but the one at 7150 El Cajon Boulevard is like Disneyworld minus the sexual predators but with ants. My other beef is their big, big violation of HIPAA. (See my blurry photo below.) You cannot ask people to display personal information like that! Oy! I cringe. And since you can't lie or you won't be seen, it puts its donators in the unenviable position of exposing themselves to strangers by being asked to sign in in such a public way. Yikes! (Personally, I just put my mononym, Prince.) But it's not all random scraps and metal and dog hair. They do pay fairly, they're highly organized - the onboarding process was seamless and professional, kudos to that R.N. - and they do a good job of getting you in and out. But it felt understaffed and overrun and their was this weird tension; it was as if the hole place could be raided at any moment by government officials. It's hard to explain. (Unless you've been through said raid.) I know there are some very upset people who wrote some understandably angry reviews. I would, too. But, for me, their offenses don't rise to the level where the energy spent on bashing them was worth the return in satisfaction. I just think they don't do enough to show their appreciation for the very people who make those private moments of laughter between staff possible.

Today, my spouse and I came to donate plasma for the first time. We had an appointment scheduled in…read moreadvance for 11:00 a.m. Upon arrival, a staff member informed us that they were unable to accept us at that time and that we would need to wait approximately one hour before the registration process could begin. The staff member was polite, and I understand that the delay was not her fault and was likely caused by a staffing shortage. However, the branch management should pay attention to this issue, as appointments should be handled according to the scheduled time.

I wanted to give a big thank you to the amazing staff who helped me during my donation today…read more I passed out, but Erika immediately noticed something was wrong and called it right before it happened. When I came to, Erika and the other nurse (whose name I unfortunately can't remember) were both incredibly kind, patient, and professional. They stayed calm, took excellent care of me, and made a scary situation much less frightening. I've noticed Erika during many of my donations and she's always friendly and professional, but today she and her colleague were truly outstanding. Thank you both for being so caring and on point :)

First of all the business hours were incorrect. Apparently they were having a meeting and opened…read morelater but there was no notice saying that the hours had changed. So the wait to get in took 2 hours. This was the second time that the phlebotomist inserted the needle incorrectly causing me to lose 2 liters of blood. Because they couldn't return the blood I ended up blacking out. This happening on two separate occasions is unreal. They seem rushed and the employees seem grouchy and disorganized. There is no extra compensation for problems that can happen and the time it takes out of your day isn't worth it. They do not seem apologetic or empathetic for wasting your time.

I've been donating plasma here for a bit now and overall it's been a really good experience. The…read morestaff is friendly and the process is usually pretty smooth. I especially want to shout out David. He's been great every time I've come in. He's professional, helpful, and just makes the whole experience easier and more comfortable. You can tell he cares about doing his job well and treating people right. Appreciate the team here and the work they do!

" Donors" who come to donate plasma here make sure y'all get someone that knows how to poke right…read more The lady's that work they're only good at gossiping and talk about unrelated to work. So I came for my second donation here which is the $150 I only got $50 because the the lady that poke me didn't do it right she put the whole needle in me and the machine wasn't able to function right it and it hurt me and apparently I didn't get my blood back. So unfair!!!

Because the machine was malfunctioning I wasn't able to provide full plasma draw. I then proceeded…read moreto suggest my other arm but the machine still failed. I initially got to the facility at around 4:45pm. So I wasted 3 hours in the waiting room and then was penalized because of a failed machine that resulted with me not getting fully compensated for my time. When I spoke to the nurse, she stated I would still get full payment but I only received $46. I'm really disappointed and don't think I will come back in the future. I have two daughters that are autistic and my husband took care of them took them to the library but they closed at 6pm and they waited in the car outside of the facility for over an hour since I got out at 7:10pm. I was upset and asked to speak to a manager but nurse stated she was on the floor today because it is so busy. Left a note with my contact details and still haven't gotten a call or an email. Left it with the front desk and even explained my situation. This plasma place lacks customer service and I am definitely going to write a review for my experience.

Wouldn't recommend donating here tried using the bathroom after asking a nurse where it is the…read morebathroom was, after my appointment and before leaving. she knew I am on HRT and I am a trans woman and told me where the woman's restroom was. then a staff member complained and he pointed out everything I'm dysphoric about my voice the way I look the way I dress. it was a uncomfortable experience the whole time. using my dead name and getting called sir just to find out I can't even donate cause of my kidneys I probably should have told them when I got there that I'm trans. The other staff were great. Maybe donate somewhere else the stuff i was being asked to sign sounds sketchy too. I would do some research on the company before going. Care was ok from what I experienced though.

As I was heading to get gas at the Costco off market, I saw a sign that said 'Save Lives, donate…read moretoday' or something to that effect. As I turned the corner down Gateway Center drive, I saw another sign that read the same thing. Well guess what, I GOT TIME TODAY! After getting gas, I headed around the corner to the blood bank. They say, you either die a hero, or you live long enough to be the villain. Well today, I was a hero. Clinics have always had a hard time drawing my blood, so I didn't think I was a good candidate. Today, I decided to put that theory to the test. Check in was a breeze (without appointment), and although the ~50-60 question questionnaire was a bit of a drag, it's worth it to save 3 lives. Don't ya think? I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the donation accomplishments of fellow Elite inspiration Candace L., who has donated over 105 pints of blood! Her photos and commentary reminded me of the gift that is donating blood. Congratulations Candace! If you're able, I highly highly encourage you to donate. The life you save could make all the difference. Okay so after you're all good on paper, you'll wait a few minutes for them to bring you back. Before you're able to donate, they'll have to prick your finger to check your iron level. If it's too low, sadly you won't be able to donate at this time. You'd have to come back another time and try it again. Thankfully, your iron levels do fluctuate, so just because you didn't make it this time, don't fret, next time you might be perfect. Once you pass test number two, then you're heading to the back to meet the Dracula machine. All of the people are so nice, and there to support you along your giving journey. You can donate plasma, platelets, or blood, and each have their own criteria for donating, and their own "bleed" lengths. I was doing blood this day, so it only takes about 30 minutes or so, depending on your flow. Btw, they play some serious jams in here, so when I heard "Smooth Operator" pumping through the speakers, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. After they removed the fangs, I was sent to the waiting/observation area, where I visited with the sweetest volunteer. I think her name was Elaine. They have snacks and juices for you to replenish yourself while you wait the 15 minutes of observation before you can leave. They even have these built in buzzers on the table, just in case you feel faint. Oh and to top it all off, they were giving away Mickey Mouse Halloween t-shirts to everyone who donated. In September, everyone who donated got a ticket to Sea World's Howl-O-Sceam. Pretty cool. Approximately 48 hours after you donate, you'll be able to find out your blood type if you didn't know it already. Any other O+'s in the house? Where you at? You have to wait approximately 2 months between blood donations, so I'm due back next month. And wouldn't you know it, I ran into a dear old friend in the blood draw room. He donates platelets every two weeks...what a champion-you know who you are! Kudos to any of you who donate, or those that feel inspired to donate. About 2.5 weeks after my donation, I was alerted that my blood was sent to Long Beach Memorial Center.... SCORE! I just potentially saved 3 lives. Save Lives, Donate Today

All of the staff here is super genuine and nice. Shout out to Heidi who helped me today. I hate…read moreneedles but she made the process a breeze during my whole blood donation.

I have donated at three different plasma donation facilities in the San Diego area, and ABO is by…read morefar the best. The staff is professional, and the facility is clean. What sets them apart, though, are the big screen televisions in the donation area and the second waiting room. There are always cute or funny animal videos playing, which is great if you forget your cell phone. Another thing that sets them apart from other plasma donation facilities are their waiting rooms. You can actually sit down in a chair and relax while you wait for your name to be called. Other places you just have to stand up and wait in line.

I started coming to abo just awhile ago . My first impression of it was great they have a superior…read moreway of running things and an incredible staff . Every time I come in I am greeted and treated as a human rather than just a donor or objective. Ricardo is always informative about ways to stay hydrated and briefing me on how the machines work, while keeping cool conversations etc . If it wasn't for the hospitality of Ricardo , Patrick and the other staff members I would go elsewhere bc ABO isn't the closet center to me but it feels the most like home . Keep up the great work .

Highly recommend this company and location. I have seen some sketchy donation locations. This is…read morenot one of one of them. Yes, we do this mostly because we need the money, but this place makes you feel good about it, not desperately. Professional. Friendly. Efficient. Enjoyable.

Love the staff! They…read moreare fast and friendly! 98% of the time, the poke me and get it right the 1st time around, which I appreciate.

From the owner: En el Centro Hematológico Banco de Sangre realizamos pruebas de laboratorio clínico con alta…read moreespecialidad donde mejoramos e innovamos en los procesos, productos y servicios que ofrecemos para llevar hasta cada paciente la mayor confianza en los resultados y atención que reciben de nosotros.

Florina was so nice again. I had to give CSL Plasma 5 stars again. Jose was also so nice.read more

Professional staff and clean facility ! I appreciate how…read moreclean and organized this place is. I love that you can book an appointment using their app as well as complete the questionnaire that's required before each donation on the app. When you use the app you're given a QR code staff can simply scan which saves you a few minutes and allows you to skip using the kiosk on site. There are signs around the facility to guide you where you need to go. There's a sign for new donors as well as returning donors. There's a big sign labeled Vitals check you get in line after completing your questionnaire. Although I completed the questionnaire online the staff informed me I needed to visit the nurse since it's been over a year since my last donation. I appreciate how clearly he communicated and he walked me directly the waiting area for the nurse. The nurse also spoke to me kindly informing me I didn't need to see her. Although there was clear miscommunication I appreciate the professionalism! Another staff informed me of exactly what I needed to do and why. Apparently if you do not donate after a year they call it a "lapse" and you have to complete the entire process (physical, proof of address) over again. He also suggested I make an appointment as early as possible to prevent any delays. Although this was a whole thirty minute drive away from my home and could be considered "a waste of time". I so appreciate the communication, short wait time and helpful staff. As opposed to the other plasma locations In the past anytime I've come there's been busy times and less busy times but the staff has always been kind and considerate. I will gladly return to this location. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 due to the app or staff not informing me I would need to complete the process over again and I would have to schedule a morning appointment over the phone as opposed to the app. If they informed me before I drove here I would've greatly appreciated that