The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients
Gordon M Riha,1 Alyssa Johnson,2 Sadie Arnold,3 Michael S Englehart,1 Simon J Thompson4 1Trauma & General Surgery, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA; 2EMS & Trauma Systems Montana, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Dove Medical Press
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Blood Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/the-montana-interfacility-blood-network-a-novel-lifesaving-hand-off-fo-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JBM |
| _version_ | 1797253676799098880 |
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| author | Riha GM Johnson A Arnold S Englehart MS Thompson SJ |
| author_facet | Riha GM Johnson A Arnold S Englehart MS Thompson SJ |
| author_sort | Riha GM |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gordon M Riha,1 Alyssa Johnson,2 Sadie Arnold,3 Michael S Englehart,1 Simon J Thompson4 1Trauma & General Surgery, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA; 2EMS & Trauma Systems Montana, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Helena, MT, USA; 3Laboratory Services, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA; 4Collaborative Science & Innovation, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USACorrespondence: Simon J Thompson, Collaborative Science & Innovation, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA, Tel +1 503 267 7314, Fax +1 406 435-1586, Email sthompson11@billingsclinic.orgPurpose: The state of Montana encompasses and defines rural health care as it is known in the United States (US) today. This vast area is punctuated by pockets of health care availability with varying access to blood products for transfusion. Furthermore, timely transport is frequently challenged by weather that may limit air transportation options, resulting in multiple hours in ground transport to definitive care.Patients and Methods: The Montana State Trauma Care Committee (MT-STCC) developed the Montana Interfacility Blood Network (MT-IBN) to ensure blood availability in geographically distanced cases where patients may otherwise not survive. The index case that led to the formal development of the MT-IBN is described, followed by a second case illustrating the IBN process.Results: This process and development manuscript details the innovative efforts of MT-STCC to develop this fledgling idea unique to rural US health care. We review guidelines that have been developed to define broad aspects of the MT-IBN including the reason to share resources, proper packaging, paperwork necessary for transfer, and how to provide resources directly to the patient. Finally, we describe implementation within the state.Conclusion: The MT-IBN was developed by MT-STCC to facilitate the hand-off of lifesaving blood to patients being transported by ground to definitive care in Montana without having to stop at an intermediary facility. This has already led to lives saved in areas that are limited in blood availability due to rurality.Keywords: rural health care, blood transfusion, health services accessibility, trauma |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:37:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f36a3d68033746aabefd578953e1adb9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-2736 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T21:37:51Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Blood Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-f36a3d68033746aabefd578953e1adb92024-03-21T17:06:43ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Blood Medicine1179-27362024-03-01Volume 1514114691390The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural PatientsRiha GMJohnson AArnold SEnglehart MSThompson SJGordon M Riha,1 Alyssa Johnson,2 Sadie Arnold,3 Michael S Englehart,1 Simon J Thompson4 1Trauma & General Surgery, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA; 2EMS & Trauma Systems Montana, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Bureau, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Helena, MT, USA; 3Laboratory Services, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA; 4Collaborative Science & Innovation, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USACorrespondence: Simon J Thompson, Collaborative Science & Innovation, Billings Clinic, Billings, MT, USA, Tel +1 503 267 7314, Fax +1 406 435-1586, Email sthompson11@billingsclinic.orgPurpose: The state of Montana encompasses and defines rural health care as it is known in the United States (US) today. This vast area is punctuated by pockets of health care availability with varying access to blood products for transfusion. Furthermore, timely transport is frequently challenged by weather that may limit air transportation options, resulting in multiple hours in ground transport to definitive care.Patients and Methods: The Montana State Trauma Care Committee (MT-STCC) developed the Montana Interfacility Blood Network (MT-IBN) to ensure blood availability in geographically distanced cases where patients may otherwise not survive. The index case that led to the formal development of the MT-IBN is described, followed by a second case illustrating the IBN process.Results: This process and development manuscript details the innovative efforts of MT-STCC to develop this fledgling idea unique to rural US health care. We review guidelines that have been developed to define broad aspects of the MT-IBN including the reason to share resources, proper packaging, paperwork necessary for transfer, and how to provide resources directly to the patient. Finally, we describe implementation within the state.Conclusion: The MT-IBN was developed by MT-STCC to facilitate the hand-off of lifesaving blood to patients being transported by ground to definitive care in Montana without having to stop at an intermediary facility. This has already led to lives saved in areas that are limited in blood availability due to rurality.Keywords: rural health care, blood transfusion, health services accessibility, traumahttps://www.dovepress.com/the-montana-interfacility-blood-network-a-novel-lifesaving-hand-off-fo-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JBMrural health careblood transfusionhealth services accessibilitytrauma |
| spellingShingle | Riha GM Johnson A Arnold S Englehart MS Thompson SJ The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients Journal of Blood Medicine rural health care blood transfusion health services accessibility trauma |
| title | The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients |
| title_full | The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients |
| title_fullStr | The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients |
| title_short | The Montana Interfacility Blood Network: A Novel Lifesaving “Hand-off” for the Optimal Care of Rural Patients |
| title_sort | montana interfacility blood network a novel lifesaving ldquo hand off rdquo for the optimal care of rural patients |
| topic | rural health care blood transfusion health services accessibility trauma |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/the-montana-interfacility-blood-network-a-novel-lifesaving-hand-off-fo-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JBM |
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