Why Blood Management Is Especially Important During Times of Anticipated High Trauma

Each year, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day brings a rise in trauma-related injuries. Commonly known as the "100 Deadly Days of Summer," this stretch correlates with a spike in motor vehicle accidents, recreational trauma, and emergency procedures, many of which involve significant blood loss and are often managed with urgent and often numerous transfusions. Teens are at an especially high risk during this time, amid summer gatherings and increased driving and travel.

This summer was no exception. While demand for blood surged, roughly 30 percent of teen car accident fatalities and injuries occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day. At the same time, blood donations lag—a recurring seasonal pattern. With schools closed for the summer, routine drives paused, and extreme heat or severe weather disrupting collections, supplies dipped when they were needed most. Having effective conservation strategies, like patient blood management, always helps stabilize and improve patient care, but is especially important during periods when donations inevitably decline.

Conservation at the center of alleviating the blood crisis

In high-pressure settings, patient blood management (PBM) becomes a vital tool, as it is a patient-centered, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve patient outcomes by managing and preserving the patient’s own blood while promoting patient safety and empowerment. It acknowledges that while transfusion may at times be clinically indicated, focusing on the function and preservation of the patient’s own blood rather than relying only on replacement after loss, improves clinical outcomes, reduces unnecessary transfusions, and preserves one of health care’s most limited and valuable resources.

Leveraging laboratory diagnostics for goal-directed care in emergencies

When blood is scarce and trauma is high, PBM is central to emergency preparedness. In these critical moments, laboratory diagnostics play a vital role in translating PBM principles into action. It enables timely, informed clinical and transfusion-related decisions by providing fast, accurate measurements of hemoglobin levels, coagulation status, and anemia risk. In urgent care scenarios, where every minute matters, these insights guide surgical, ICU, and trauma teams toward safer, more conservative goal-directed clinical interventions. 

Technology transforming PBM strategies

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in enabling PBM at a larger scale. Diagnostic testing devices like Werfen’s ROTEM delta provide rapid differential diagnostic information to optimize coagulation-related and transfusion decisions in major surgeries and traumatic bleeding scenarios. These tools empower clinicians to act quickly and confidently, improving patient outcomes while conserving valuable blood resources. 

Sustaining PBM through seasonal demand

The 100 Deadliest Days once again underscored the urgent need for proactive blood management. Hospitals that integrate real-time diagnostics, adopt PBM modalities and technology, and align with institutional goals on patient safety are better prepared for both seasonal surges, ongoing supply chain constraints, and emergency trauma situations.

This season also stood as a reminder that blood remains one of the most precious resources in health care. By leading with data, diagnostics, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, patient blood management efforts can help ensure we protect and preserve what is our body’s most vital organ, blood.