Whatsapp Gateway as a Means of Recruitment and Retention of Blood Donors in the Blood Donor Unit of PMI City Surakarta

Abstract

Blood is essential for human life, and its availability depends solely on voluntary blood donations. Donor recruitment and retention is crucial to maintain adequate blood supply, yet many blood donation units, including PMI Surakarta City, face challenges in ensuring repeat donors. This study aims to explore the implementation of WhatsApp Gateway as a tool for blood donor recruitment and retention at PMI Surakarta City. This research focuses on the communication strategies used and their effectiveness in donor retention. A qualitative case study approach was used, which involved semi-structured interviews with first-time donors and PMI staff, in addition to analysis of WhatsApp messages and donor reports. The theoretical framework used was Barbara O'Keefe's Message Design Logic (MDL), which examines expressive, conventional, and rhetorical communication strategies. Findings show that WhatsApp Gateway increases donor engagement through personalized and timely messages, fostering emotional connection and social responsibility. Expressive logic emphasizes gratitude and personal connection, conventional logic ensures reminders conform to social norms, and rhetorical logic effectively educates and persuades donors. However, there are still gaps in achieving real-time responsiveness and accommodating feedback from donors. This study highlights the potential of utilizing digital communication platforms for public health initiatives, especially in donor retention strategies. Implicated research suggests that optimizing such systems can increase donor loyalty, stabilize blood supply, and create a sustainable donor management system. Further improvements in two-way communication and system responsiveness are recommended.