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Calvert County approves Inova memorandum to let paramedics carry whole blood in field
Summary
The Board approved a memorandum of agreement with Inova Healthcare Services to supply low‑titer O+ whole blood for Calvert County paramedic supervisors under a MEMS optional protocol; county EMS will pilot the program with biweekly courier exchanges and biannual local blood drives.
Calvert County commissioners voted Oct. 7 to authorize the county to enter a memorandum of agreement with Inova Healthcare Services allowing paramedic supervisors to carry low‑titer O‑positive whole blood for emergency transfusions in prehospital settings.
Division Chief Ken Miller and County Director of Public Safety David McDowell described the program as a pilot under the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Service Systems (MEMS) optional protocol. Miller said the measure is aimed at patients with life‑threatening hemorrhage who face extended ground transport times to the nearest trauma center. "Field transfusions within 35 minutes improve survivability by up to 60 percent," he said, citing trauma-surgery data presented to the board.
Dr. Jason Finkelstein, the jurisdictional medical director who coordinated the protocol, and Jason Constantini, a medical director participating in training, told commissioners the plan relies on biweekly courier exchanges: Inova will deliver two units every two weeks and retrieve them so blood remains in clinical circulation; if units are used, Inova can courier replacements within about one to three hours. "We're gonna be carrying that blood for two weeks," Constantini said, adding the rotation minimizes waste and lets hospitals use rotated units at trauma centers.
The program requires specialized refrigerated 'delta' coolers and a hands‑on training regimen; officials said Calvert Advanced Life Support (CALS) funded initial equipment and would cover pilot operational costs for 2027 and 2028, estimated at roughly $11,180 per year. Emergency‑medical staff will receive an online module and about 6–8 hours of in‑person training, with MS‑20 supervisors completing roughly 15 hours of combined coursework and practical sessions before delivering blood in the field.
The agreement also asks the county to organize biannual local blood drives to sustain the supply; public‑safety staff emphasized donors from Calvert County will circulate back to local patients. Commissioners expressed broad support; the board approved a motion to authorize the commissioner president to execute the agreement.
The county will pilot the program and collect usage and outcome data before deciding on longer‑term funding or operational changes.
