Djeneba Dosso
LJI Reporter
Gatineau’s PLASMAVIE donor centre, also known as GLOBULE and La Collecte has become Héma-Québec as of November 4th. The change comes following survey results that reported confusion among the public caused by the use of multiple secondary brand names.
“This change is designed to more efficiently fulfill the needs of the province’s healthcare system by simplifying the donor experience, enhancing the visibility of donor locations and clarifying Héma-Québec’s role,” the blood donation organization expressed in a press release.
The previously mentioned survey also found that, while the Héma-Québec brand is recognized by 84 per cent of Quebecers, two out of three donors in donation centre markets did not connect Héma-Québec with its GLOBULE and PLASMAVIE donation centres. The difficulty for them to associate the different brands to Héma-Québec is obstructing the brand’s visibility, public awareness and engagement.
The mother brand says the confusion has resulted in “numerous supply challenges at a time when Héma-Québec is striving to meet ambitious targets for collecting plasma and other blood products to serve the needs of the Quebec population.”
After 25 years, the brand decided to unify under a single name to broaden its reach. Along with a new name came the announcement of additional services and a new logo reflecting their shift from solely being a blood donation organization.
“Héma-Québec has greatly expanded its operations and is now responsible for a diverse array of biological products of human origin, including blood, plasma, platelets, stem cells, mother’s milk and human tissue. Additionally, it offers specialized laboratory testing services,” read the press release.
The changes to Héma-Québec’s activities are set to roll out gradually over the course of several months with a focus on sound resource management.