Sanford Ambulance Begins Administering Whole Blood in Emergency Situations

Paramedics with Sanford Ambulance are now able to administer whole blood at the scene of serious injuries or en route to the hospital, providing critical care when rapid treatment is vital to saving lives.

“By starting a transfusion within minutes of injury, we can stabilize severely bleeding patients long before they reach the emergency room,” said Dr. Jason Van Valkenburg, Sanford Ambulance medical director.

Unlike traditional components like plasma or packed red blood cells, whole blood contains red cells, plasma and platelets, making it more effective in treating traumatic hemorrhage. This protocol mirrors the best practices used in military combat zones and is now being adopted in civilian emergency medicine across the country.

“Our mission is to provide the highest level of care possible.  This innovation puts lifesaving blood in the hands of our paramedics, and that will make a real difference in outcomes for our patients,” said Tim Meyer, Sanford Ambulance senior director.

Medics won’t have time at accident scenes to crossmatch patients with blood supplies, so all of the units will be O-positive, which is safe for patients of any blood type. A supervisor will carry the blood to emergencies in a climate-controlled cooler, along with equipment to warm it for transfusion.

Sanford Ambulance plans to work with Vitalent to host blood drives and encourages people to support the program by donating blood. Sanford Ambulance will work closely with area hospitals to return any unused blood units so they can be used before they expire.

Nationally, trauma is the leading cause of death for individuals ages 1 to 45-years-old. An estimated 40 million emergency room visits in the United States annually come from trauma-related injuries.