When someone suffers a serious injury, the first minutes can determine whether they survive.
Paramedics with Sanford Ambulance are now able to administer whole blood at the scene 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 Jason Van Valkenburg, M.D., 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 by civilian emergency medicine teams across the country.
For communities across the region, this means advanced trauma care can start sooner which improves the chances of survival in serious crashes, farm accidents or other emergencies.
“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.
Whole blood transfusions save time to save lives
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 is partnering with Vitalant 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.
Trauma is the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 45 in the United States, accounting for 40 million emergency room visits each year.
By making whole blood transfusions available in the field, Sanford Ambulance is ensuring patients across the region have access to lifesaving care when they need it most.
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Posted In Canby, Canton-Inwood, Community Impact, Company News, Emergency Medicine, Fargo, Hillsboro, Luverne, Thief River Falls, Worthington
