Blood Service App Reaches 100,000 Users – An Important Tool for Preparedness
The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service’s mobile application has reached a significant milestone: the app now has over 100,000 users, which is almost the same as the annual number of blood donors. The app demonstrates how digital solutions can not only make blood donation easier but also support society’s preparedness in rapid crisis communication.
Every year, about 110,000 different people donate blood in Finland. The Blood Service app now has 100,000 users. Eighty percent of new blood donors download the app, and nearly 30,000 users are active each month. Every day, 600–700 people donate blood.
“We are truly delighted with how well the app has been received. It shows that Finns want to help, and that digital solutions can effectively support this willingness”, says Johanna Castrén, Director of Blood Donation.
The Blood Service app offers users a wide range of features. Through the app, users can:
• Update their contact information
• View their previous donation visits and haemoglobin values
• See their blood group information
• Find the nearest donation site
• Receive notifications, for example in emergencies
• Collect Life Saver Badges
Supporting national preparedness
The Blood Service app is also part of Finland’s national preparedness. It enables targeted messages to be sent quickly to blood donors in the event of major accidents or other exceptional situations.
“The app enables direct and fast communication with donors. This is crucial in crisis situations where active contact with donors is needed”, says Castrén.
Currently, about half of users allow emergency messages to be sent via the app.
The app displays a donor’s blood group information even if the Blood Service’s background system is offline. This functionality is also important in various disruption and crisis scenarios.
Life Saver Badges motivate and reward
One of the app’s most popular features is the Life Saver Badges – virtual recognitions awarded to users for milestones such as their first donation, reaching a certain number of donations, or being active.
The Blood Service continues to develop the app to make it even easier to use and more engaging. In the future, users will be able to manage appointments directly through the app and report donation restrictions or absences to avoid unnecessary invitation messages.
The application is free to download from the App Store and Google Play under the search term “Veripalvelu.” The donor app works in three languages – Finnish, Swedish, and English, which enables reaching a more diverse donor community. Over 20,000 new blood donors are needed annually.
