What happened: Delaware has become the first state to fully implement whole blood administration across all EMS units, including ground and air transport. This statewide initiative ensures trauma patients have access to whole blood at every stage of prehospital care. The state’s unique EMS structure — comprised of just three counties with a tiered ALS/BLS system — allowed for streamlined coordination and rapid adoption of this lifesaving intervention.
| More: Del. state police join EMS in carrying whole blood
Highlights
Watch as Ed Bauter, MBA, MHL, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C; and Daniel Schwester, MICP, highlight the significance of this development, including:
- Statewide collaboration led to success. Delaware’s EMS system, hospitals and aviation units worked together to implement whole blood use across all patient transport settings.
- Overcoming logistical and administrative hurdles. Coordinating blood banks, hospitals and multiple agencies required extensive stakeholder involvement and a shared commitment to improving patient outcomes.
- A model for other states. Delaware’s streamlined EMS system and successful implementation could serve as a blueprint for broader adoption of whole blood programs nationwide.
|More: Insider analysis: Colorado Springs leads the charge in whole blood transfusion
The path forward
Delaware’s whole blood rollout represents a significant step forward in prehospital trauma care, demonstrating how collaboration and decisive action can improve patient outcomes. Other states may look to this model as they consider expanding their own whole blood programs. The success of this initiative underscores the importance of coordination across EMS, hospital systems, and aviation services to provide the highest level of care.
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