A program that sees air ambulances stocked with blood products for emergency transfusions is expanding into the London-area.
Ornge, the not-for-profit provider of air ambulance services in Ontario, has partnered with London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) to bring the ‘Blood on Board’ program to the region. Blood for the program will be supplied by LHSC's blood bank and will be stored in specialized coolers. To ensure safety standards are met, blood temperatures will be monitored carefully during storage and on board the aircraft up to the time of transfusion.
“We are pleased to expand our blood on board program in southern Ontario,” said Ornge Associate Medical Officer Dr. Michael Peddle. “With access to blood on board in Toronto and now London, trauma patients across southern Ontario have an opportunity to receive blood products quickly at a time when every minute counts, leading to improved patient outcomes."
The program first launched in Toronto in 2021 and expanded to Thunder Bay in April 2023. The new collaboration with LHSC began on April 23 and has already helped treat one patient, according to Ornge officials.
“This is a true team effort that includes our dedicated laboratory professionals, which will ultimately lead to improved outcomes for patients that result from timelier access to a key component of care for those who are critically ill or injured," said John French, LHSC's clinical diagnostics executive.
To-date, the program has seen more than 250 units of blood administered to over 120 patients province-wide.
