Skip to main content Skip to footer
Baylor Scott & White Blood Center
Schedule an appointmentNew donor eligibility requirements

Baylor Scott & White Blood Center

Skip Navigation LinksHome / Patient Tools / Baylor Scott & White Blood Center

COVID-19
The Baylor Scott & White Blood Center is following FDA recommendations for those who receive a COVID-19 vaccination. We are pleased to announce this is NO mandatory deferral period if you receive the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Note: Deferral times may vary depending on the type of vaccine an individual receives. Please call the Blood Center at 254.724.4376 if you need more information.

Visit our COVID-19 vaccine page for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

  • Convalescent plasma donation to fight COVID-19

    Baylor Scott & White Blood Center is now collecting plasma from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat patients currently battling the virus.

    Register to Donate Convalescent Plasma
Visit Us
Address
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Temple
2401 S 31st St, Ste115
Temple, TX 76508
Directions
Open until 5 p.m.
Monday:
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday:
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday:
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday:
8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Friday:
7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Contact
254.724.4376
Request an appointment

Blood donations are urgently needed

COVID-19 concerns continue to affect all aspects of our lives, yet we need to ensure patients not impacted by COVID-19 continue to receive life-saving care. While the US blood supply undoubtedly will be affected, we are actively working to mitigate serious impacts to our local blood supply and Baylor Scott & White Blood Center urgently needs your help.

Does COVID-19 present a risk to adequacy of the nation’s blood supply?

Yes. As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to grow across our country and with the social distancing recommendations in place, our national blood banks are seeing fewer donations. We anticipate the blood supply to tighten significantly unless we take reasonable local proactive measures to mitigate a shortage to ensure this critical supply is available for our patients.

Are potential donors being screened for COVID-19?
​

Yes. In line with our new patient and visitation policy in place for COVID-19, all visitors will be pre-screened at entrance points before entering the hospital. In addition, routine blood donor screening measures that are already in place will prevent individuals with clinical respiratory infections from donating blood.

Can I do a walk-in appointment for my donation?
​

At this time, we are strongly encouraging potential donors to schedule their visits online or by calling 254.724.4376. This will help to minimize crowds and accommodate all potential donors and ensure we maintain an adequate blood supply over time. However, walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows. Donors are asked not to bring guests to their donation appointment.

If I am concerned about a COVID-19 exposure, what action should I take?
​

For your safety and convenience, we are encouraging all patients experiencing flu-like symptoms (cough, shortness of breath and feeling feverish) or are concerned about COVID-19 exposure to first visit the MyBSWHealth mobile app or website to take a free COVID-19 screening questionnaire. We ask that you please complete this prior to scheduling an appointment or walking into a clinic, urgent care or hospital emergency department. For more information about Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) please visit www.bswhealth.com

We are truly local

Your donations stay in your community to help your friends and neighbors

Our blood supply is provided solely by volunteer donors like you and is used exclusively for patients in our health system. So you can feel confident that your donation is truly helping your friends and neighbors during their time of need.

The Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple Trauma Center is a facility designed to help families through any traumatic injury. In addition to the team of experts, there is another aspect to being a Level 1 Trauma Center – blood supply. Trauma cases typically require the need for a blood transfusion in order to treat the injury and perform the necessary surgeries. The Baylor Scott & White Blood Center is the only hospital-based blood donation center in the region, which allows for better access to an immediate blood supply in traumatic or crisis situations.

{6}

Find a blood drive

In addition to a Blood Center, Baylor Scott & White also has several options available for a more convenient way for members of outlying communities and businesses to donate blood. Our mobile crews are scheduled throughout each week and travel around Central Texas — including communities surrounding Killeen, Waco, College Station, Round Rock and Marble Falls.

Interested in hosting a drive?

By hosting a blood drive, your organization will help ensure a stable blood supply and adopt an excellent community service project benefiting the patients in our community.

Request a blood drive

Mobile Blood Drives

The Baylor Scott & White Blood Center is re-introducing mobile blood drives to our calendar in May 2020. To ensure a safe donation experience and in an abundance of caution, social distancing protocols will remain in place, and we ask that all donors assist by:

  • Scheduling donation appointments here (Please note, walk-in donors without an appointment will only be allowed entry as space permits; appointments are strongly urged)
  • Wearing a mask to your appointment
  • Observing established social distancing protocol
  • Not bringing guests or children to your appointment
Thank you for your donation during this unprecedented time.
See All Blood Drives

This month's giveaway

Free limited-edition blood donor t-shirt: Give Hope, Give Blood, Give Life

 

{6}

Platelet donors urgently needed to support local patients

 

The American Red Cross has advised that there is currently an ongoing shortage of platelet donations, nationwide.

Walter Linz, MD, Director of Transfusion Medicine states "All blood product donations are appreciated. Apheresis platelet donations are particularly valuable for cancer patients which require a continuous and uninterrupted supply. That can only be accomplished in our area by donations from our patient’s friends and neighbors."

Although our local community has given generously, there has been an overall decrease in number of platelet donors, while, as communicated by the ARC, the need for platelet transfusions has grown at "unforeseen" and "unexpected" rates, at both local and national levels.

Platelets are the component of your blood that is essential for normal clotting function, and they are critically important to the survival of many patients with clotting problems and cancers, as well as patients undergoing major surgeries or organ transplants. With a short shelf life of only 5 days, it is a growing challenge to maintain an adequate supply of these lifesaving blood products.

We need our community’s donations and support to meet patient needs - please consider becoming a regular platelet donor.

Chaplain inspires with milestone 100th blood donation

A Baylor Scott & White chaplain completed his 100th blood donation Friday, May 3, 2019, at Baylor Scott & White Blood Center in Temple.

{6}

Donating blood is truly an act worthy of appreciation

While we understand that blood donation is not often done for the accolades, we firmly believe that our volunteer blood donors, and the caring and compassion they show for our neighbors in need, deserve to be recognized and rewarded. Regular and consistent donations are what keep our local blood supply healthy and prepared for emergent situations, and which allow us to care for our patients in their time of need.

View our donor appreciation statistics for 2020, as well as a special list of donors who went above and beyond the call of duty by giving above average quantities of blood products!

We have several ways of recognizing our donors’ commitment and generosity. Check out the links below for more details:

Barbara Parker
Scroll To Top