Baptist ERs Partner with EMS to Receive Digital EKG Reports on Patients in Transit
Reports Provide Picture of Patient's Cardiac Function before Hospital Arrival

Jacksonville, Florida, June 25, 2009 -- This month, Baptist Health hospitals began receiving EKG (cardiac function) reports directly from EMS rescue vehicles with digital 12-lead EKG technology installed. When someone experiencing symptoms of a heart attack calls 911, the EMS vehicles with 12-lead capabilities can begin to establish a picture of the patient's cardiac status before the patient ever reaches an emergency room.

Currently, Nassau County Emergency Medical Services and Camden County Rescue have the equipment necessary to transmit digital EKG reports while en route to the hospital. Soon, Jacksonville Fire Rescue, St. Johns Fire Rescue and other EMS services will join in this community-wide effort to improve outcomes for heart attack patients.

"The moment a patient suffers an acute heart attack, that heart muscle begins to die," explains Richard Stromberg, MD, chief of Emergency Services at Baptist Downtown. "We want to preserve as much healthy heart muscle as we can. By partnering with community EMS caregivers, our emergency physicians and cardiologists can read the EKG before the patient arrives and expedite treatment."

All four of Baptist Health's adult hospitals now have 12-lead EKG receivers in their emergency centers, which enables them to receive the reports from the EMS vehicles. This gives the hospital personnel the ability to save precious time once the patient arrives. Studies show that treatment within 90 minutes of arrival can help save lives and heart muscle.

Charles Moreland, chief of Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department, says, "This technology provides EMS providers with the opportunity to work collaboratively with ER physicians and nurses to streamline the process of providing cardiac care to patients experiencing a heart attack."

Jeff Prevatt, deputy operations chief for St. Johns Fire Rescue, says, "This gives the physician in the Emergency Center the ability to confirm what the paramedics have seen in the field." Nassau County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Sam Young adds, "Transmitting the patient report ahead of time allows the Emergency Center staff to prepare to provide the right treatment, right away."

"We are fortunate to have such forward-thinking EMS teams in Northeast Florida, and we value their leadership and collaboration in this initiative," says John Wilbanks, chief operating officer, Baptist Health. "Each of these outstanding EMS teams is a vital partner to us in providing state-of-the-art cardiac care. Our strong relationships with EMS mean more lives are saved throughout our community."

Baptist Health is home to four Chest Pain Centers accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC): Baptist Medical Center Downtown, Baptist Medical Center Beaches, Baptist Medical Center Nassau and Baptist Medical Center South. A Chest Pain Center is a hospital emergency center accredited by the SCPC that offers fast, evidence-based diagnosis and treatment for chest pain and heart attacks, provided by a highly skilled team with advanced knowledge in the management of heart attacks.