Blood On Board Project: Experience From Pegaso 2 Base in Grosseto, 4.5 Years After Implementation.
Jacopo Frizzi1, Michela Ciminello1, Alessandra Roggi1
1Emergency Helicopter Service and Territorial Emergency Unit 118, Grosseto Area, Tuscany, Italy.
Air Medical Journal
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Helicopter emergency medical services can safely manage O-negative packed red blood cells (PRBCs) for transfusions. The "Blood on Board" project shows increased transfusions with PRBCs, proving the procedure
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Hematology
Background:
- Prehospital emergency care and helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) require efficient blood transfusion protocols.
- Managing blood components in austere prehospital environments presents unique challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the methods for managing O-negative packed red blood cells (PRBCs) in a HEMS setting.
- To share practical experience from the "Blood on Board" project.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of a specific protocol for storing and administering O-negative PRBCs within a HEMS unit.
- Tracking the number of transfusions and patient outcomes over a 4.5-year period.
Main Results:
- Progressive increase in the number of patients transfused with O-negative PRBCs.
- Demonstrated efficacy and safety of the "Blood on Board" transfusion protocol.
Conclusions:
- The "Blood on Board" project successfully established a safe and effective method for prehospital blood transfusions.
- HEMS providers can confidently manage O-negative PRBCs for critical patients, improving outcomes.
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