In a major step to enhancing emergency medical response, Cabarrus County EMS has partnered with Atrium Health Cabarrus to launch a prehospital blood program that promises to be a game-changer for victims of severe blood loss. The program kicked off last Monday, providing blood transfusions at the scene or during patient transport, a strategy that has been statistically proven to increase survival chances, reported Cabarrus County.
This initiative brings, to the forefront, the critical window of opportunity to save lives before a patient makes it to the hospital. "Providing blood before a patient arrives at the hospital will not only increase their chance of survival but also gives the hospital care team an advantage during a very critical window,” Gary Catarella, vice president of laboratory operations for the North Carolina and Georgia Divisions of Advocate Health, which Atrium Health is a part of, told Cabarrus County. Cabarrus County now joins the roster of 13 North Carolina counties authorized to provide this advanced prehospital care.
The mechanics of the program are straightforward but technically sophisticated. Paramedics employ LifeFlow PLUS, the first rapid infuser designed for field use to administer the blood, a device capable of delivering one unit of blood in just two minutes. Additionally, the QinFLOW portable blood and IV fluid warmer ensures that the blood stays at a proper temperature during the transportation process. All the while, each Autonomous Portable Refrigeration Unit (APRU), used to store and transport the blood, stays Bluetooth-connected allowing real-time monitoring of key parameters, including temperature and battery life. This technology has been funded by a grant from the Cannon Foundation.
Empowering paramedics with the ability to deliver blood products in transit requires advanced training and equipment, both of which have been now provided to supervisor vehicles in Cabarrus County. These vehicles can store up to five units of blood in the APRUs, and unused blood can be, rotated back to the hospital blood bank for reissue. "Having blood available in the field can mean the difference between life and death," EMS Chief Jimmy Lentz expressed in a statement obtained by Cabarrus County.
Coordination is crucial for the success of this program. Blood is sourced from the Atrium Health Cabarrus Blood Bank and loaded into APRUs, which are then placed on EMS supervisor vehicles. These vehicles are dispatched to high-risk incidents where they can provide rapid transfusions, effectively stabilizing patients before they even reach a hospital setting. Cabarrus County Medical Director Dr. Catherine Waggy emphasized in an Cabarrus County interview that, "Early blood transfusion in trauma patients increases meaningful survival while decreasing the need for additional blood transfusions during their hospital stay."
