The USCENTCOM Walking Blood Bank Performance Benchmark and Anticipated Benefit of Universal Low Titer Type O Screening.

This article focuses on establishing a performance benchmark for the Walking Blood Bank (WBB) system used by U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) medical units to provide emergency whole blood transfusions when local supplies are insufficient. Based on prospective data collected over nine months, the mean total WBB performance time from activation to obtaining a transfusable unit was 41.4 minutes (±13.2), with donor arrival to transfusion-ready unit averaging 34.4 minutes (±12.1). Comparison with the 1st Marine Division’s Valkyrie training program, which uses universally pre-screened low titer type O whole blood (LTOWB) donors, showed a 17.6-minute reduction in collection time, suggesting that universal pre-screening could significantly improve WBB efficiency. The study recommends implementing universal LTOWB donor pre-screening before deployment to enhance emergency blood availability in expeditionary settings.