The City Council on Monday will consider authorizing a contract with Houchin Community Blood Bank to supply blood and blood components for a new pre-hospital whole blood administration program being developed by the Fire Department in partnership with Huntington Medical Hospital.
Fire officials said traumatic hemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of preventable death and that administering whole blood before a patient reaches a hospital can significantly improve survival.
“For every minute that an uncontrolled hemorrhage continues, there is a 2% increase in mortality,” according to a Fire Department staff report.
Under the proposed program, Pasadena paramedics would have access to low-titer O whole blood, allowing blood transfusions to begin in the field rather than waiting until critically injured or ill patients arrive at a hospital.
The department said a hospital partner is required to operate the program because of regulations governing blood products, legal requirements and the need to manage unused blood. Huntington must maintain its own contract with the blood supplier for the Fire Department to participate.
Pasadena officials reviewed several potential suppliers, including San Diego Blood Bank and the American Red Cross. San Diego Blood Bank was ruled out because of costs and operational requirements that officials said were not feasible for Huntington.
Discussions with the American Red Cross ultimately led officials to Houchin, which the city said was the only supplier identified that could provide timely deliveries and was willing to contract with both the Fire Department and Huntington.
Houchin, a California nonprofit public benefit corporation, has supplied blood and blood components to hospitals and trauma centers in Kern County and surrounding areas since 1951. It currently provides low-titer O whole blood to Kern Medical, the region’s designated trauma center.
Under the agreement, the city would pay $675 per unit of whole blood, compared with Houchin’s non-contract price of $820 per unit, along with a $65 handling charge per order. The blood bank would provide same-day courier delivery at its own expense and credit the city for unused units returned before they expire.
The City Council is being asked to authorize a 12-month contract with options to extend the agreement for up to 36 months and a total amount not to exceed $300,000.
Fire officials estimate the overall pre-hospital whole blood program will cost about $100,000 annually, although the blood supply portion of the program is estimated at about $50,000 annually. The additional contract authority would provide contingency funding.
The program would be funded through existing and future Fire Department Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operating budgets. The city expects to recover some costs through its EMS Transport Cost Recovery program and reimbursements from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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