The plasma donation center in Kalamazoo saw a six-month high in January with 3,500 donors. The Quality Supervisor, Paulette Brooks, attributes the increase to the center's new location closer to downtown, which has a more positive perception than the previous location. Brooks' job is to ensure every donated plasma sample meets quality standards through rigorous testing and record keeping. Her days involve multi-tasking between tasks like reviewing samples, training employees, and communicating with other facilities to maintain the high quality of plasma products.

1. The Quality of Plasma
Sean R. Montera
Plasma donations at the Bio-mat in downtown Kalamazoo are at a six-month high
– 3,500 donors came to the facility in January alone.
The reason? It might be due to the business’ move last fall to a location closer to
downtown and that’s more accessible. It might be due to tough economic times and the
panic of tax season. It might be due to a burst of altruism among those who want to help
those in medical need.
What ever the reason behind the elevated giving levels, it means that Paulette
Brooks is even busier than usual. Brooks is the Quality Supervisor for GRIFOLS,
otherwise known as Bio-mat, the plasma donation center located just off Edwards Street.
For her part, Brooks attributes the increase in donations to people’s changing
perceptions – the former North Street location held negative connotations for many,
whereas the new building is receiving positive attention, she said.
Bio-mat collects plasma, which is the clear fluid that blood runs through. People
who donate their plasma come for different reasons; some are looking to make some
quick money, others are more altruistic, looking to support a medical need.
GIRFOLDS uses the donated plasma for medical products such as
AlphaNine®SD, which is intended to stop bleeding. Products like this are used in
hospitals for surgery or in homes for various forms of anemia. The quality standards for
plasma donation are set by the FDA. Brooks is excited about an upcoming European
certification that would allow the center to distribute its products to European markets.
Once plasma has been donated, it is classified by blood type and by present
antibodies. Each bottle can be sampled up to 47 times in order to ensure its quality.
Those samples are shipped overnight to Austin, Texas where they undergo a series of
tests for antibodies, HIV, STD’s, and Hepatitis. Samples are recorded, retested and
rerecorded before being shipped back to Brooks, who further categorizes, freezes, or
ships the plasma and accompanying records. It’s a careful, detailed process that draws on
Brooks’ multi-tasking abilities.
Brooks has the tedious but vital job of ensuring every pint of plasma is where it’s
supposed to be, is of a quality fit for donation, and has the appropriate paperwork along
with it.
“No day is the same,” said Brooks, who joined the company in January 2006.
“It’s a challenge to be on your game everyday. You have a bad day; you’re still expected

2. to do your job. It’s not perfect; there are lots of checklists and squinting,” brushing the
dark frames of her glasses with her hands.
On a workday in February, Brooks juggled a clipboard while she moved a cart
full of samples. The room is a cool 60 degrees, and Brooks and her colleagues are
wearing paper jumpsuits for sanitary reasons. Brooks and a co-worker quickly run
through a lot of plasma. They inspect each sample, note its identification number and
slot before moving onto the next box. The process is efficient.
People who frequent Bio-mat may notice Brooks – she’s the pinball moving from
place to place, person to person. Somehow she is always talking to someone, finishing
some paperwork, or matching up samples with records. She describes her typical day as
“an ever changing experience.” In any given day she could be reviewing an incident or
mistake, cataloging the cleared samples and all the associated paperwork, observing or
training employees, or conferring with quality management in Okalahoma, all the while
making small talk with her fellow employees or people in various stages of donating.
“She’s like my work momma,” said one smiling employee rushing to get to the
floor from the break room. “She feeds me, takes care of me, tells me when I’ve screwed
up.”
“I just like paying attention to detail,” said Brooks. “My day is sometimes
repetitive but always important.”
Donor Statistics: All documents
‘07 Aug: 2752 contributed by Brooks and
Sep: 2719 Fay-Lynn Dessinger,
Oct: 2405 Facility Manager at Bio-mat
Nov: 3110
‘07 Dec: 3260
‘08 Jan: 3505