Caldwell County Emergency Services has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Plus Award for
implementing quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who experience severe heart attacks.
Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) the deadliest type of heart attack
caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as
quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.
The Mission: Lifeline initiative provides tools, training, and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the
most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines. Mission: Lifeline’s EMS recognition program recognizes emergency medical
services for their efforts in improving systems of care to rapidly identify suspected heart attack patients, promptly notify the medical
center and trigger an early response from the awaiting hospital personnel.
“Caldwell County is dedicated to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” said Captain Jonathan Cook, EMS Training
Officer. “We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in emergency medical care efforts through Mission:
Lifeline.”
“EMTs and paramedics play a vital part in the system of care for those who have heart attacks,” said Tim Henry, M.D., Chair of the
Mission: Lifeline Acute Coronary Syndrome Subcommittee. “Since they often are the first medical point of contact, they can save
precious minutes of treatment time by activating the emergency response system that alerts hospitals to an incoming heart attack
patient. We applaud Caldwell County Emergency Services for achieving this award in following evidence-based guidelines in the
treatment of people who have severe heart attacks.”
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About Mission: Lifeline
The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® program helps hospitals and emergency
medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for acute coronary syndrome patients. The
program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of
Cardiology clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org.
