Cardiovascular "STEMI" Receiving Centers

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, remains the primary cause of death of adults in the United States. Over a half a million people die each year after experiencing a heart attack and about half experience a type of heart known as ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). These are normally caused by a clot in a primary blood vessel of the heart. To enhance the medical care services provided to these patients, Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) began a process designed to identify patients who were experiencing a heart attack and transport them to cardiovascular “STEMI” receiving centers. The primary components of the program include rapid identification by paramedics, expedient delivery to specialty receiving center, definitive cardiac care by specialists able to remove the clot, quality improvement and education. The pre-hospital component of the process is provided by paramedics who are able to identify these patients using 12 lead EKG. This provides advanced hospital notification and allows the patient to bypass or expedite traditional emergency room care in favor of definitive care in the surgical ward. Hospital participation in the program remains voluntary and is designed to identify those hospitals with specialty services aimed to restore health and return the patient to their families and community.