“Patients and families should be able to expect the highest level of care when they call 911,” said Kristy Bryant, EMS Director for Yancey County. “Living in a rural community should not mean having fewer options when seconds matter.”

The partnership reflects more than two years of planning, collaboration and innovation. AdventHealth was first approached in 2024 about supporting a prehospital transfusion program. With few established national standards at the time, the team worked with transfusion experts across the country to build a safe, reliable process.

"Bringing whole blood transfusion into the field requires close collaboration and a shared commitment to patient safety," said Connie Stec, Lab Director for AdventHealth Hendersonville and AdventHealth Polk. "Together with Yancey County EMS, we've built a program that brings lifesaving care closer to patients while delivering the same standards of quality and accountability they'd expect inside an AdventHealth hospital."

The launch also supports AdventHealth’s broader effort to expand access in Western North Carolina, including the new AdventHealth Weaverville hospital. Phase one is under construction and will bring closer access to care across the region. Together, these efforts reflect AdventHealth’s commitment to meeting people where they are.

"What makes this especially meaningful is that we're supporting patients before our new hospital opens, with the same level of safety, quality and accountability as if they were already in our care," Stec said.

While the partners hope the program is rarely needed, both organizations say success will be measured by readiness when it matters most.

"Hopefully, most people in our community will never need a blood transfusion in the field," Bryant said. "But if they or someone they love does, we’re ready. If this program saves even one life, the planning, training and partnership behind it will have been worth it."

Source: AdventHealth of North Carolina.