Novant Health New Hanover EMS launches Pre-Hospital Blood Program
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Novant Health New Hanover EMS started a new program Friday, the Pre-Hospital Blood Program.
This makes the first responders one of about 200 EMS agencies in the U.S. able to administer blood and blood products in the field. This includes in the field blood transfusions.
There are four vehicles equipped with ‘blood coolers’ packed with cooler packs, red-blood cells, plasma, a blood-warmer, saline and tubing.
The vehicles are spaced out over New Hanover County and respond with or meet with the transport unit to hand-over the ‘blood cooler’.
Administrative Division Chief for Novant Health New Hanover Julius McAdams emphasizes the importance of saving crucial time with this new program.
“It is able to help us start the resuscitation process in the field as opposed to the delay in time. For example, if it takes you 10 minutes to get to the hospital and another 5 minutes to get settled in, that’s 15 minutes in time we can be treating the patient with the different blood or blood products we will be using,” Chief McAdams said.
His program took about 7-months to establish with the support of the Novant Health New Hanover Regional Foundation and the Novant Health Lab and Blood Bank.
