Prehospital Transfusions Are Reshaping Emergency Medicine and Saving Lives

When a patient suffers severe blood loss, every minute that ticks by is a minute closer to death. Even when emergency personnel reach the scene quickly, precious time can be lost en route to the hospital, especially in remote rural areas or traffic-congested cities.

A groundbreaking concept known as prehospital transfusion is transforming emergency care and saving lives by equipping emergency vehicles with blood products, including whole blood, plasma and red blood cells. Vitalant supports prehospital blood programs in several parts of the country. These programs adhere to our mission to ensure lifesaving blood is available whenever and wherever it’s needed.

One of those partnerships, with the Colorado Springs Fire Department and UCHealth Memorial Hospital in Colorado, has had impressive results. According to the fire department, since the start of the program in May 2024:

• 113 patients have received 133 units of whole blood.
• 80 patients have survived thanks to the program, for a 70% survival rate.

The most common usage has been for traumatic injury calls, with the top three being traffic accidents, motorcycle crashes and assaults (i.e., stabbings or shootings). 

“When first responders are empowered to store, transport and transfuse whole blood to bleeding patients before they arrive at a hospital, they save lives,” said Dr. Matthew Angelidis, emergency medical physician with UCHealth and co-chief medical director of the Colorado Springs Fire Department. 

He stresses the vital importance blood donors play in maintaining a steady supply to support all the ways blood helps save lives. 

"Someone you know or love is going to need a blood transfusion in order to survive, and we need your help to ensure they get that transfusion when they need it.”

Uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death in trauma, and several studies estimate that up to 60,000 people a year in the U.S. could be saved if blood was always available on ambulances. According to America’s Blood Centers:  

• Research shows that every minute of delay in accessing blood increases mortality odds by 2%.
• Trauma is the leading cause of death for individuals aged 1 to 44, causing nearly half of the deaths in this age group. It is the fourth leading cause of death for all age groups.  

“Vitalant’s support of the prehospital transfusion programs reflects our deep commitment to saving lives at every stage of care. By bringing blood directly to patients in the field, we’re helping first responders deliver critical treatment faster when every second counts,” said Deanna Janosko, senior director of product management at Vitalant. “It’s an honor to be part of programs that are not only advancing emergency medicine but also expanding access to lifesaving transfusions in communities across the country.”