Reaching a major milestone in emergency medical care, Cooper University Health Care has officially administered its 1,000th whole blood transfusion to a critically injured patient, reinforcing its position at the forefront of regional trauma innovation.
As South Jersey’s only Level I Trauma Center and the busiest trauma facility in the Philadelphia region, Cooper handles more than 5,000 trauma patients annually. Operating as an early national pioneer in prehospital care, the Camden-based academic health system launched its whole blood program in 2016 to combat severe blood loss—one of the leading causes of preventable death following traumatic injury.
Whole blood combines red blood cells, plasma, and platelets in their natural balance, allowing a single transfusion to restore oxygen delivery, maintain blood pressure, and support clotting during the most critical moments after an accident. To maximize survival rates, Cooper has expanded access to whole blood far beyond hospital walls. The life-saving plasma and blood products are now deployed directly in the field aboard Cooper Air medical helicopters, through Cooper EMS physicians, and via strategic partnerships with regional emergency services including Virtua Advanced Life Support (ALS), SouthStar EMS, and Inspira ALS.
By initiating transfusions at the scene of an injury or during transport, the collaborative prehospital network has successfully stabilized numerous patients before arrival, while reducing the total volume of blood required once patients reach the trauma center. Looking ahead, Cooper’s medical teams and researchers continue to push clinical boundaries, exploring advanced frontiers such as drone delivery of blood products through the health system’s Military, Diplomatic Affairs and Field Medicine program.
