Medical Center EMS Nationally Recognized for Its Commitment to Quality Care for Severe Heart Attacks & Strokes in Southcentral Kentucky
Medical Center EMS has earned the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Achievement Award and the StrokeHonor Roll Achievement Award for providing rapid, research-based care to patients experiencing the most severe heart attacks and strokes.
When a person calls 911 for symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, emergency medical services staff can begin assessment and treatment immediately, often reducing the time to lifesaving care by up to an hour compared to someone who goes to the hospital by car. People who arrive by ambulance may also receive faster treatment at the hospital.
Mission: Lifeline EMS® is the American Heart Association’s national program designed to improve outcomes for patients experiencing life-threatening emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes. The program recognizes EMS agencies that meet high standards for rapid assessment, treatment, and coordination with hospitals. Medical Center EMS also earned the Stroke Honor Roll Award for how many patients receive clot-busting medications within 60 minutes or less.
“This recognition validates the extensive training and focus our team invests in every day to minimize the time it takes to care for those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke,” said Scott Ford, Paramedic and Field Supervisor with Medical Center EMS. “By quickly recognizing the signs of heart attack and stroke and using the latest evidence-based practices and technology, our providers help patients receive critical treatment faster. Every minute saved can reduce damage to the heart or brain and improve the likelihood of a positive outcome.”
Mission: Lifeline EMS® recognition is the American Heart Association’s program that recognizes prehospital emergency care agencies for the quality of care they provide to heart attack and stroke patients. The recognition program focuses on improving care quality by integrating all components of heart attack and stroke care into a seamless system. Key tenets of these systems of care reinforce evidence-based guidelines and measure performance, identify gaps, and engage in quality improvement.