Prehospital Transfusion Certificate Program

The AABB Prehospital Transfusion Foundations Certificate Program is designed to equip emergency medical services (EMS) leaders with the foundational knowledge required to implement and manage prehospital blood transfusion programs. As the use of blood products in the prehospital environment expands to address preventable deaths from hemorrhage, many EMS agencies are seeking guidance on the clinical rationale, regulatory considerations, operational logistics, and quality management systems necessary to safely initiate these programs. 

Through a series of modules, participants will explore the scientific and clinical evidence supporting early transfusion, the roles and responsibilities of EMS agencies and blood providers, regulatory and accreditation considerations, blood product selection and handling, operational workflows, and the quality systems required to ensure patient safety.

Developed by multidisciplinary experts from EMS, blood centers, hospitals, and transfusion medicine, the program emphasizes collaborative implementation and shared accountability across the continuum of care. Upon completion, participants will have the foundational understanding needed to engage effectively with blood providers and hospital partners, design safe operational frameworks, and support the successful implementation of prehospital transfusion programs within their organizations.

EMS program managers, EMS field practitioners, medical directors, and implementation leaders responsible for establishing or managing prehospital transfusion programs (not line-level paramedics).

• Module 1: The “Why” – Clinical Rationale and Framework
• Module 2: Understanding Blood Products
• Module 3: Models of Implementation
• Module 4: Logistics and Operations
• Module 5: Patient Selection, Consent, and Field Administration
• Module 6: Managing Risk Through a Quality and Safety Framework
• Module 7: Collaboration and Communication