Medicine, business collaboration spurs solution for battlefield blood supply and distribution
In his research, Lt. Col. Andrew Hall was focused on finding a strategy to optimize the amount of blood distributed in expeditionary environments.
As a surgeon in the United States Air Force, Lt. Col. Andrew Hall (MBA ’24) understands how critical of a resource blood is to treat combat casualties. As part of his work with the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), Lt. Col. Hall was looking for a way to better support military missions with the vital blood supply needed to save the lives of U.S. service members who had been seriously injured in combat or other military exercises.
“Blood is a finite resource and the best ways to supply and utilize the resource is of great interest,” he explained.
The obstacles of supplying blood in combat situations are immense, including limited shelf life, transportation and storage requirements, and safety regulations, among others. But Lt. Col. Hall’s goal was straightforward – find a way to supply an appropriate quantity of blood to match the scope of needed care.