CHESAPEAKE, Va. — New equipment for first responders is defining the line between life and death.
Nearly a year ago, the Tidewater EMS Council launched the Whole Blood Initiative which allows first responders to carry blood in the field to administer to trauma patients over the age of 15.
The tool has been vital for Lt. Bobby Hoag with Chesapeake EMS when he's on the go.
“Now that we’ve transitioned to giving whole blood, there’s been a massive emphasis on how much we can do to not just stop the bleeding but now improve their outcome,” Hoag said.
David Long, the executive director of the Tidewater EMS Council, said the program was an opportunity to improve the trauma care they deliver.
“When we started looking at our data, the impacts that we were having were rather limited because the loss of blood is one of those things that really dictate outcomes,” Long said.
It started in Virginia Beach and expanded to Chesapeake in April.
“Until we brought this on board, the only thing we could do is hopefully stop the bleeding and drive them to the hospital as fast as we can," Hoag said. "Now, we can start to reverse some of the effects of the patient being in shock.”
Hoag is one of the first within his department trained to use it. He recently put that training to use to help a gunshot victim.
“They were shot in the lower extremity," Hoag said. "They also met transfusion criteria through our protocol.”
Hoag said by using blood, paramedics like himself get to see the improvement in a patient’s health. It's something they don't normally see when transporting a patient to the hospital.
“Where their blood pressure can come back up," Hoag said. "Now, we have their mental status improving. And you can actually see tangible, observable improvements rather than something we may see on a monitor.”
Long said first responders have administered whole blood to 27 patients so far between Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. He said most of these cases are connected to violence.
“Nineteen of them have been gunshot wounds," Long said. "And we had one stabbing and then one physical assault with a baseball bat.”
He said so far, the majority of patients eventually recover.
“We still have a couple of patients in the hospital," Long said. "Most have been discharged successfully. So, we’re seeing a 60.2% save rate of folks that we’ve been able to administer blood to.”
This program is not only a benefit to first responders, but it’s also helping doctors at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.
“Getting that new blood, getting that immediately is very important for overall patient outcomes,” said Dr. Ishraq Kabir, the trauma medical director for Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.
Kabir said a few patients have received whole blood before coming to the hospital. He has noticed a significant change that allows doctors to better prepare for any potential medical procedure.
“When they come to us, they’re in a better state from a vital standpoint," he explained. "Overall if they come in a better situation, their outcomes after a surgery or other intervention we would have to do, it is better for them.”
Now, Long is looking ahead and preparing for the next phase in this program treating trauma patients as young as five with whole blood and expanding to other cities across southern Hampton Roads.
“We’re looking for those opportunities to figure out how best to provide such a precious resource,” Long said.
That expansion will soon expand to other places in Hampton Roads, including Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
"What we started with was the five cities with two cars carrying a unit of blood," Long said. "So a total of 10 on the street at any given time. Today, we're at two. So, I got eight to go."
The Tidewater EMS Council is always looking for blood donations. They're holding the next drive on Aug. 9 in Suffolk. You can find more information on where to give on the council's website.