WASHINGTON — More than 400 ground EMS agencies across the country now carry blood products for 911 responses, marking a milestone in the expansion of prehospital blood transfusion programs.
The Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition announced the milestone, saying the growing number of agencies reflects a broader effort to get lifesaving blood products to patients with life-threatening bleeding before they reach a hospital.
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More than 10,000 Americans die each year from severe blood loss, often within minutes of injury. Hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in trauma patients, and nearly half of those patients die before they reach a hospital.
Despite years of military and civilian research supporting prehospital blood transfusion, fewer than 3% of eligible EMS agencies carry blood products.
“Our goal is to remove the barriers that are preventing a simple solution to a serious problem,” coalition Chair Jon Krohmer, M.D., said. “We want to see blood transfusions offered by ground and air EMS systems across the country to ensure that every American can receive lifesaving care, regardless of where they live or how far they are from a hospital.”
The coalition is pursuing CMS reimbursement for EMS blood transfusions and policy recommendations for Congress and state leaders, while educating EMS, hospitals, blood suppliers and policymakers on prehospital transfusion.
In 2016, about five ground EMS agencies carried blood products. Today, more than 400 do, a milestone the coalition credits to growing awareness, shared best practices and advocacy across EMS, health care and policy making.
