Huntington Health launches pre-hospital whole-blood program with Pasadena Fire; "patient did well," hospital says

Huntington Health and the Pasadena Fire Department have launched a collaboration to carry O‑positive, low‑titer whole blood on two battalion fire vehicles for pre-hospital transfusion in penetrating trauma and other major-bleeding incidents, Dr. John Korman told Pasadena Monthly. "So the whole blood initiative is really exciting," Korman said, and confirmed the program was used "for the first time" recently: "The patient did well."

Korman framed the program as a systemwide effort to improve outcomes for trauma patients by supplying blood earlier in transport; units that approach expiration are returned to the hospital so they can be used for routine in-hospital needs and the blood center replenishes the fire department supply. He described the initiative as part of Huntington’s role as the primary trauma center for the San Gabriel Valley.