Matthew Angelidis, MD 

The Whole Blood Program is a groundbreaking initiative in Colorado Springs that enables specially trained paramedics to administer lifesaving whole blood transfusions in the field – before a patient reaches the hospital. Designed for patients over the age of two experiencing significant blood loss due to trauma, internal bleeding, or conditions like obstetric or gastrointestinal hemorrhage, this program helps treat hemorrhagic shock at its earliest and most critical stage. Following state EMS Chapter Waiver Guidelines, the program ensures whole blood is safely administered to patients of all ages and blood types, including children and pregnant women. 

The No. 1 cause of death under the age of 46 and the No. 1 cause of preventable death in the United States is hemorrhagic shock (bleeding to death). Forty percent of patients bleed to death in the care of first responders (firefighters or paramedics) before they can make it to the hospital. In these cases, a blood transfusion is the resuscitation treatment of choice and has been proven to save lives.  When first responders are empowered to save lives by storing, transporting, and transfusing low-titer O(+) whole blood to bleeding patients before they die and before they arrive at our hospitals, they save lives. In the first year of the Colorado Springs Fire Department’s program, our city’s EMS professionals have transfused over 150 units of blood to 100 survivors.
One Colorado resident is saved every 72 hours, who would have died without the lifesaving blood transfusion. 

Trauma and hemorrhagic shock do not discriminate based on age, sex, gender, or income.  If you or your family live, work, or play in Colorado Springs, you are a potential benefactor of this program. Someone you know or love is going to need a blood transfusion to survive, and you can help ensure they get that transfusion when they need it. While less than 2 percent of EMS teams in the America currently provide blood transfusions to their communities, you can help Colorado Springs Fire Department, Ute Pass Regional Health Services District, and the Memorial Health Foundation sustain our EMS Blood Transfusion Program and ensure our friends and families have access to cutting-edge care. 

This is an incredible lifesaving measure; however, EMS blood transfusions are not reimbursed by health insurance companies, so hospitals and EMS agencies are forced to bear the cost of these treatments at a huge loss. One unit of blood costs approximately $700. Additionally, EMS teams that wish to store, transport, and transfuse blood need specialized equipment and specialized training to safely and effectively transfuse blood to patients outside of a hospital.  

If you are in El Paso, Teller or Pueblo counties and feel compelled to contribute to this great work, visit this link – uchealthmemorialcares.org/wholeblood  – to donate to the Memorial Health Foundation, our EMS Communities principal partner in funding this innovative cutting-edge lifesaving treatment. 

Outside of our area, consider learning if there is a whole blood program in your community and if not, connect with us to learn more.

Matthew Angelidis, MD, is the current medical director for UCHealth EMS, co-chief medical director for Colorado Springs Fire Department, co-chief medical director for El Paso County AMR, co-chief medical director for Plains to Peaks RETAC, and clinical assistant professor for UC School of Medicine.