Biomat USA

I've been donating plasma here for a few months now. It's a nice, clean place.

The staff makes sure you're comfortable throughout the process. I've seen reviews elsewhere that stated the staff was unprofessional. I wouldn't call them "unprofessional", but they are laid back and joke around with the donors. I'd much rather prefer this than a cold, stoic person performing my procedure.

To help pass the time, they show movies on the televisions throughout the donation area and in the lobby. All the TVs are, of course, viewable from every seat (and I've definitely rotated around the area over the months). Not your thing? You can bring along your iPad, phone or book to listen to music or read.

Now about the missing star. If you go in here, make sure you have time. Your initial donation will take about 3 hours from start to finish (Mine took about 4 1/2 hours). This is due to having to take a physical before you donate. Return donations will be less, but this place does get busy. On subsequent visits, I've spent up to three hours waiting. I think this is starting to be addressed by staff, because I've been getting out earlier recently (about an hour and a half, 45 mins to an hour is chair time).

The other thing is the pay-outs. They pay high for a first couple of weeks, and then it drops in half. They do have bonuses, but none of my friends will donate. I guess I have to sell having someone stick a needle in your arm and have you sit there for 45 minutes harder. :)

And I know some of you are saying, "But I go to this other place in town..." Yeah you probably do. And I've never been to the OTHER place, but I hear nothing but bad about it. Yeah they're quicker, but they're stricter in their deferment (donor refusal) policies. Speed means nothing if you can't donate. And you can't bring your phones into the donation area. I don't know about you, but my phone is my media center. Again, all of this is second-hand knowledge so your mileage may vary.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a laid back place to donate, skip the other place in town and go here.

Today is my third donation with Biomat USA and it went very well. I enjoy coming here to donate plasma because the staff is always professional, friendly and helpful, the facility is clean and comfortable, and the service is fast. That's what I like best about coming to Biomat: I get in and out quickly which makes it very convenient.

I have been donating at Grifols for several months. Grifols is clean and most of the employees are friendly. Some of the employees will ask about your day and chat with you as you get settled. There was only one employee I met who had a very sterile attitude and seemed like she would rather be working elsewhere. I have only been bruised once when an employee inserted a needle incorrectly.

Sometimes, I walk in and get seen right away. Other times, I have a had to wait awhile. It depends on how well staffed they are on a given day. I recommend bringing your tablet or cell phone with a game you can play one-handed. Also, bring a jacket or a blanket. It can get cold especially when you are being infused with the chilly saline solution at the end. There is usually a movie playing on tv with subtitles, but sometimes the glare from the florescent lights prevents the screen from being seen properly.

They run promotions on different months. Lately, they have been offering a candy bar or extra cash if you show them that you have checked into their location on Facebook.

Some words of advice from an averaged sized woman who doesn't eat a lot of meat: Watch your water intake and make sure you eat enough food that day. Both of these factors affect your protein levels. When I first started donating, I was told to drink a ton of water. This can make the donation process go faster, BUT you need to remember to eat even more than usual. Water ended up working against me. I ended up flushing the nutrients out of my system and ruining my chances of donating.

I would recommend Grifols over the other plasma donation center in town. Grifols employees are friendlier and they pay a bit more.