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By Paul Chasko

The Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance Association (JHAAA) recently received the Silver Performance Achievement Award for EMS units from the American Heart Association (AHA). JHAAA is only one of ten EMS units in Pennsylvania to receive this award.

The AHA reported in a recent bulletin that, in 2010, 6,392 Pennsylvanians died from the deadliest type of heart attack – a STEMI attack. For laypersons, a STEMI heart attack is one in which one or more of the carotid arteries carrying blood to the heart muscle is completely blocked. When this happens, the heart muscle begins to die in the affected area. In a STEMI attack, time is everything – every minute and second in this condition means more heart damage.Since then, the AHA has been pushing the "Lifeline Initiative" to reduce death and disability for STEMI patients in Pennsylvania.

The "Lifeline Initiative" is a protocol developed by the American College of Cardiology and the AHA that has the responding EMS unit performing tests and procedures; these rapidly identify the problem as a STEMI attack. These are tests which, in the past, have been carried out in the receiving hospital. Communication with the STEMI cardiac care team in the hospital is immediately established by EMS personnel and maintained throughout time in the home and in transit. Vital data is transmitted including results of an electrocardiogram most likely taken in the home or in transit to the hospital. The hospital cardiac care team then has vital patient information in hand before the patient comes through the door. This allows them to prepare for the patient, including activation of cardiac surgeons and cardiac surgical facilities.

The award made by the AHA indicates that JHAAA has met all the requirements for personnel training and equipment availability to meet the requirements of the protocol and achieved a 75% or higher compliance score for each specific quality measure demanded by the protocol from 3 to 12 months. This is not an easy feat, noting that only ten EMS units in Pennsylvania have received the award.

It's comforting to know that this high level of EMS care is available in our area – congratulations to JHAAA.

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