Paying for Your Prehospital Blood Program

In the fourth installment of the EMS Focus: Prehospital Blood Transfusion in Practice webinar series, Brian Tegtmeyer, National 911 Coordinator, Office of EMS, led a panel discussion with experts on the ways prehospital blood programs can be funded.

During the discussion, speakers examined what’s needed when budgeting for a program, including the different types of blood products, equipment and supplies and what those blood products cost. The conversation also focused on how agencies can share the cost by forming regional or multi-agency programs or mutual-aid agreements, and what rural communities should consider when building a sustainable program.

Panelists:

• Jon Krohmer, MD, Chair, Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition

• Matthew Levy, MD, Medical Director, Howard County Fire & Rescue, Maryland

• David Long, Executive Director, Tidewater EMS Council, Virginia